Cosmo: In your 20s? Give Portland a try

Published 2:43 pm Thursday, January 2, 2025

Are you in your 20s? If you are, Cosmopolitan magazine has come up with 25 terrific places for you to live.

Were you anticipating London, Paris and Berlin? Check.

Figure New York, Chicago and Los Angeles might represent for the United States? Natch.

Think up-and-comers like Glasbgow, Scotland, or Tamarindo, Costa Rica, might slip into the list? Good thinking.

And then there’s Portland.

“Things Portland is: A haven for artists, full of green spaces, renowned for its craft beer, and still kinda under the radar when it comes to tourism.” Reads the Dec. 30 article. “It’s also pretty affordable — though it’s getting pricier as we speak, so hurry up and move!”

“Affordable,” of course, is a relative term. Hey, Tokyo and London both made the list.

The article is written by Mehera Bonner, a celebrity and entertainment news writer, and Hannah Chubb, lifestyle editor.

“Between figuring out your next career move, dealing with new and old friendships, and being forced to make your own dentist appointments, your twenties can be … scary and confusing as hell,” they write. “But they can also be incredibly beautiful, especially if you’re faced with some newfound freedom. And one of the most exciting decisions you might need to make? Choosing where you want to call home.”

Factors used to create the 25-city list included cost of rent, nightlife vibes, LGBTQ+ friendliness, general safety, the quality of public transportation, cheap eats, and “Instagrammability.”

Other cities on the list include Madrid; Montreal; Tokyo; Porto, Portugal; Dublin; Sydney; Copenhagen; Santiago, Chile; New York City; Manchester, England; Tamarindo, Costa Rica; Toronto; Prague; Bangkok; Glasgow; Paris; Queenstown, New Zealand; London; Berlin; Los Angeles; Lyon, France; New Taipei, Taiwan; Amsterdam; and Chicago.