San Francisco vs San Diego vs Honolulu vs Seattle (living, best, cost)

[hgfed27]

Hello, I'd like to get peoples opinions on their favorites between these four places. I'm considering moving to one of them.

I'm looking for a city that's very scenic, pretty laid back, has a lot to do, is easy to walk around, has good food, is quite safe, and is good for someone in their 20's.

Please post your advice for me personally and vote for your overall favorite in the poll.

I've made it multiple choice in case you feel there is a tie.

Thanks and let the voting begin!

[ccm123]

Here are my thoughts:

SF - really a city, but expensive and justifiably so.
Seattle - I like Seattle, but don't like the weather. Laid back.
Honolulu - not really a great job market and a high cost of living.
San Diego - beach town and great weather.

[hgfed27]

So, which would you recommend for me overall based on my criteria if you had to choose between those four?

[ccm123]

I would pick San Diego or San Francisco.

[rkwalton]

Because the cost of living is so high in San Francisco right now, I'd choose Seattle. However, that's more of a personal thing than your criteria. I'd never move to San Diego or Honolulu. They're both a bit too slow for me. Great to visit but I'd freak out just living in one of those places.

[ccm123]

Yes, Honolulu is very "laid back". No offense to anyone on the board, but it feels as if "time stopped" there if you come from the "mainland" cities.

[Natural510]

I think Seattle meets all your criteria, as long as you don't mind the rain. Like rk said, SF is too expensive to be enjoyable nowadays.

[Gentoo]

My pick was Seattle. I'm a Bay Area native and familiar with SF. I lived in San Diego for a long time. Never been to Hawaii so the only thing I can say is I wouldn't like the weather because I don't like tropical weather. As far as SF and SD, there are things about both of these cities I don't particularly care for. The most annoying is the fact that both cities think they're the best place on earth.

Also by comparison, Seattle is the cheapest although still expensive by national standards.

[Ruth4Truth]

Seattle--HAHAhahaha *choke* What a joke. Go to the Seattle forum, look at the "Seattle Freeze" thread. It's not a very friendly place.

OP, I don't know if when you say "San Francisco", you mean strictly SF, or would you be willing to live nearby, but in a slightly more affordable area, like Berkeley or Oakland? SF is very expensive. If you have a high-paying job or are independently wealthy, SF will work for you. Otherwise, you might consider expanding your options to the Bay Area general, which generally is more laid back than SF, with easy access to all the attractions of SF without the expense.

[wave9x]

Seattle makes the most sense for you. It has a young population, lots of people in their 20's out and about, it is very walkable, it is somewhat affordable, and has a good job market. SF's population has become quite a bit older and the culture has become more money oriented, not that great for a young person. SD is very pretty, but pretty sleepy. I personally would choose Honolulu for myself, but the job market there is the main issue.