Only compared to the Bay Area and equivalent cities (NY, DC, etc.) would Seattle be considered a cheap place to move. Just consider that it's not all that cheap up here. According to this:
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/01/robert-wenzel/do-you-live-in-oneSeattle is the 7th most expensive city in the US. Vancouver, WA, from a cost of living standpoint, is a suburb of Portland.
I can speak to the general climate of the Maritime Washington from Bellingham to Vancouver WA.
Attributes we are looking for in a new place:
- decent amount of sun and warmth
- no snow or harsh winters
Maritime Washington has very mild, dry summers, with brief and unusual forays into the high 80s or above and overnight lows rarely above 65 even in the height of summer. Winters are cloudy, grey and damp. The reputation is that it rains a lot in Seattle. This is only half true. We don't actually get a shocking amount of precipitation, but we tend to get drizzle every day for weeks at a time from about October to March. Inland from the water and as you move into the Cascade foothills you will see higher highs and lower lows. Compared to the Bay area (where my husband grew up), you'll get less morning fog and you'll get cooler evenings in the summer. Spring will last a bit longer, summer will come later, winters will be colder. But generally the climate is very similar - mild, maritime and moderated by large bodies of water. Climate and tech opportunities explain why so many bay area folks come up here, I think.
- bicycle friendly streets and drivers
- generally, yes. Portland (your "big city" from Vancouver) is certainly one of the most bike friendly towns in the US. Seattle itself is good from a driver standpoint, but like SF the city itself is quite hilly in areas. There are many major bike paths in Seattle and an active community of cyclists that advocate for bike path and bike lane improvements.
- access to good quality food (produce, meats)
- Absolutely. I think you'd find an equivalent to the Bay Area here, though SF itself probably has more world class restaurants. I dare say Seattle is one of the better foodie towns in the country right now, though, with excellent homegrown restaurateurs and a consistent focus on "local, sustainable, organic" type buzzwords. Seattle is a major fishing port so we get great seafood, Pac NW local and artisan suppliers of cheese, wine, microbrew, etc. are world-class, and Washington state boasts a native agricultural industry that is diverse and excellent and probably somewhat less mega-corp than what you might see in Central California. Many in Western WA think Starbucks and Microsoft and Boeing are our major industries here, but Washington state as a whole is one of the leading agricultural regions in the country. Our farmers basically kick ass. :)
- access to beautiful outdoors (hiking, cycling, camping)
- yes. 90 minutes to the coast, 90 minutes to skiing, as locals like to say.
- weather appropriate for backyard gardening
- yes. Ask me anything about Maritime Washington gardening. It's what I live for.
- community / city vibe, so that we don’t feel too isolated
- yes, but Vancouver and Seattle have very different vibes. Vancouver isn't a city from a "feel" standpoint, Seattle is (albeit a small one). The "Seattle Freeze" is a phenomenon you might look at before moving up here. I don't know that it's real, but then I've lived here nearly my whole life and am an introvert, so it's not a problem that would target me. But many people who move here seem to complain the Seattleites just aren't very open, friendly or welcoming compared to other parts of the country, and that it's hard to make friends. YMMV.
- other people our age around (late 20s, early 30s)
- yes. In fact when I go into the city (Seattle) from my nice suburb I'm shocked at how young everyone seems. I think this is because I am now old (I'm 35 with two kids). Vancouver you'll probably have a slightly older more settled feeling, but I might be wrong.
- low/no state income tax so that we can do consultation side jobs and economize
- yes. Washington has no personal income tax and Washington State voters consistently keep it that way. Sales tax in Washington is 6.5% plus whatever the city and county adds. That means in Seattle it's 9.5% while Vancouver WA is 8.4% (I think! these numbers change). The small business climate in Washington isn't great because of how small businesses are taxed but Washington state makes it SUPER easy to start a small sole proprietorship, Corp, or LLC. Filing state business taxes, etc. is all online. In fact, in general the mentality in urban Western Washington is that if something can't be done online it does not exist. Probably the Bay Area is the same.