hmmmm incredible public transit, planning for urban density, fourth highest quality of living in the world..... as long as you can afford to buy a house in Vancouver, I think Seattle (and we can't exactly brag about the prices of our real estate...) is beat on all fronts .

Seattle vs Portland.... I haven't spent huge amounts of time in Portland, but I've been down a few times. It strikes me that the biggest differences are more attitude... (don't take offense Oregonians... ). Portland seems like Seattle's successful, but laid back, occasionally pot smoking, small biz owner, little brother while Seattle is the older more straight laced, executive that nags his little bro, but secretly wishes he could be more like him.

I haven't been to San Francisco in my memory (I think I may have been there when I was like 3....) so I can't really comment there.