What Is the Most Affordable Beach Town In Oregon?

Owning a beach house is everyone’s dream, but not everyone can afford it. However, if you think of buying a home in a beach town, Oregon offers affordability that won’t break the bank. This article looks at inexpensive beach towns in Oregon to help you make an informed choice.

The verdict is out; the most affordable beach town in Oregon to buy a property in Coos Bay. Home prices in Coos Bay average $340,000, and the average rent is $850. Several factors cause Coos bay to be considered the most affordable, like living costs, home prices, and transportation.

Oregon’s towns possess natural beauty, glorious mountains, scenic coastlines, mild climates, affordability, and many outdoor activities. If you’re on a budget, don’t worry, we give an overview of the cheapest beach town in Oregon here.

Coos Bay – The Most Affordable Beach Town in Oregon

Coos Bay lies on the Southern Oregon Coast with its mild climate, beautiful sea views, friendly community, lush green forests, and countless outdoor activities. Coos Bay has continually been recognized as the cheapest beach town to live on the Oregon coast in recent years.

The historic bayside town is home to historic buildings, boutique shops, theaters, gourmet restaurants, art galleries, and natural parks.

Coos Bay is situated between beautiful natural forests, the Pacific Ocean, and a protected bay. Historically Coos Bay was known as Marshfield and had a rich history in shipbuilding. With a population of 16,600, Coos Bay is the largest town on the Oregon coast.

It rains but hardly snows during winter, while summer is dry but not overly hot. The price for electricity and gasoline is cheaper in Coos Bay than anywhere else in Oregon.

The average home prices in Coos Bay are around $190.000 – $340.000, while rent can be anywhere from $600 to $850 a month.

History of Coos Bay

Coos Bay is considered the center of trade for the whole of southwestern Oregon.

Coos Bay was established in 1853 and named Marshfield. Residents decided to change the name to Coos Bay in 1944 after the beautiful bay in the area.

The name “Coos” comes from the Native American tribes in the region and has double Indian meanings: the place of pines and lake.

The Lower Umpqua, Confederated Tribes of Coos, Coquille Indians, and Siuslaw Indians claim the Coos Bay region as their ancestral land. These Native American tribes lived off the land and the meadows and forests.

The region’s gorgeous beaches, high rocky areas, beautiful sunsets, lush green forests, white dunes, and clear ocean waters full of wildlife and fish amazed explorers since the 16th century.

In 1579 Sir Francis Drake found shelter for his crew ship, named the Golden Hinde, near Cape Arago. Explorer and fur trader Jedediah Smith arrived at Coos Bay to explore and trade in the area. The Hudson’s Bay Company sent explorers to look for an inland passage to help their fur trade.

Coos Bay has been elemental for commercial passage from its pioneering days, and even today, it is still valuable.

The forests and waterways that sustained the Native American settlements at Coos Bay equally inspired Europeans to settle in the area. Coal mining and shipbuilding became a significant part of Coos Bay’s economy at the turn of the century.

Coos Bay started to prosper in shipbuilding, wood products, and shipping. Transportation systems boomed and scattered from the Pacific Ocean, where the fleet of small boats transported goods and passengers to other parts of the U.S. and the world.

As those industries and communities declined, the urban renewal efforts sparked exciting new life into Coos Bay’s coastal community. Coos Bay is the cultural and health care hub for the entire region.

Low Living Costs in Coos Bay, Oregon

You will be pleasantly surprised at how much more affordable everyday items are in Coos Bay. Gasoline and transportation are more affordable in Coos Bay than in most U.S. states, even daily necessities like milk, bread, and shampoo.

Coos Bay is considered the cheapest place to live because it offers the best housing costs and affordable average living costs. We have compared Coos Bay’s average living costs to Oregon and the U.S. We found Coos Bay, compared to the rest of Oregon, to be much more affordable than anywhere else. Coos Bay was even more affordable than the U.S. average living cost.

Coos Bay Cultural Activities

The Coos Bay Art Museum and the recently restored Egyptian Theatre are some of the local cultural attractions in the area worth visiting. The Maritime Museum, New History, and Coos Historical centers tell the beautiful history of Oregon’s southern coast.

The Egyptian Theatre might seem small to visitors from New York, but it is a significant cultural staple in Coos Bay. The theatre was first opened in 1925. It featured a rich history and was first housed in 1920 in a garage and service station. Visiting the Egyptian theatre is almost like you are stepping back in history.

At the Oregon Coast Historic Railway center, you can view displays of logging and vintage railroad equipment that was used in the area.

In 1978, The Oregon Coast Music Festival began in Coos Bay and is still the longest-running music festival in Oregon today. Coos Bay’s famous music festival features artists playing jazz, classical, pop, rock, and folk music.

Outdoor Activities at Coos Bay

Coos Bay is a perfect place for people who love spending time outdoors with its mild climate and excellent location. Coos Bay’s nearby Oregon Dunes National Recreation area offers four-wheel dune rides, camping, whale watching, cycling, fishing, clamming, bird watching, and lots of wildlife like seals and sea lions.

The Umpqua Dunes are closed to vehicles and extremely popular with hikers that enjoy the area’s scenic views. Pony Creek is a long but delightful hike through the hills of Coos Bay for outdoor enthusiasts who love nature. The West Coast Game Park Safari, situated south of Bandon, is famous for the wandering herds of deer.

Kayaking is another popular sport for adventure seekers in the area’s local estuaries. Many golf courses are in the area with fantastic ocean views. The beautiful misty Golden Falls at the Silver Falls State Natural Area east of Coos Bay is a sight to behold. Coos Bay is famous for the gloriously clear water waterfalls in the valleys of the Oregon coast.

Coos Bay is home to many state parks surrounding the bay with lovely botanical gardens, sea views, clear waterfalls, white sandy beaches, hiking trails, camping spots, and a pretty bay area for swimming and boating. During September, a running race in memory of native son Steve Prefontaine is held in Coos Bay.

Enjoy fishing, hiking, crabbing, and biking at Cape Arago State Park, where many seals and whales can be observed. You can still fish for some salmon in Coos Bay and the Coquille River. Fishing charters can be booked out of Bandon and Charleston with Betty Kay Charters.

A favorite beach in Coos Bay is Sunset Beach, tucked away in a small cove between two beautiful stone cliffs. The tranquility Sunset Beach offers and stunning views will please any visitor looking for an escape. The beach at Sunset Bay State Park is one of Oregon’s favorite destinations.

Food in Coos Bay

Coos Bay is home to many gourmet restaurants, cafés, and eateries. The many food festivals held in Coos Bay celebrate clams, crab, and seafood dishes where local produce like cranberry and blackberry dishes are a huge favorite with visitors.

More than 12 local food festivals are held from February to December each year. Enjoy a wine walk on the first Friday of each month for wine lovers.

The seafood market at the Coos Bay City Docks is the place to buy fresh seafood from local anglers.

Coos Bay offers not only seafood restaurants but also Mexican, Asian, German, and Italian restaurants. The local 7 Devils Brewing Company and pizza restaurants provide food and drink no one can resist.

Most restaurants and cafés offer locally raised and grown ingredients on their menus. Coos Bay’s food is affordable if you know where to find the best restaurants. Locals are more than willing to point them out. Coos Bay is a popular place to live in Oregon because of all it offers.

Coos Bay also has an astonishingly high number of bars for such a small town. Order a quick drink at one of the local pubs or enjoy a night out at one of the many nightclubs; there is always something fun to do in Coos Bay at any time of the day or night.

Coos Bay’s Friendly Community

One of the characteristics of Coos Bay is its friendly community. The people of Coos Bay are considered the friendliest people in Oregon. Everyone in town has a smile on their face whether you enter a significant supermarket or step inside the Egyptian Theatre.

The Coos Bay residents are always willing to help if you need directions to a restaurant or area in town. Help from a neighbor is always on offer too. Neighbors often take care of each other’s lawns when the other is out of town. It is hard to be grumpy when living near such wonderfully beautiful scenes and beaches.

Average Cost of Living in Coos Bay, Oregon

The National Average is 100, and the Coos Bay cost of living average is 84.3.

Cost of Living: Coos Bay- 84.3, Oregon-113.1, USA-100.
Groceries: Coos Bay 98.4, Oregon-100.4, USA-100.
Health Care: Coos Bay-91.7, Oregon-88, USA-100.
Rent: Coos Bay-$800, Oregon-$1100 USA-$1400.
Average Home Cost: Coos Bay $270,000, Oregon-$4500,000, USA-$375,000.
Utilities: Coos Bay–63.6, Oregon-81, USA-100.
Transportation: Coos Bay-71.8, Oregon-107.1, USA-100.
General: Coos Bay-97, Oregon-97.6, USA-100.

Monthly Utilities

Basic monthly utilities: Electricity, Cooling, Heating, Water, Garbage disposal for 85m2 Apartment: $195.50-$300.00.

Internet at 60 Mbps Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL: $69.00- $99.99 p/m.

Rent Per Month

Apartment 1 bedroom in Town Centre: $850.00 -$950.00 p/m.
Apartment 1 bedroom Outside Town Centre: $675.00 p/m.
Apartment 3 bedrooms in Town Centre: $1,420.00 p/m.
Apartment 3 bedrooms Outside Town Centre: $1,200.00 p/m.

Childcare

Private Kindergarten, Full Day for 1 Child: $600.00 – $1,300.00 p/m.
Primary School International for 1 Child: $9,600.00 – $14,000.00 per year.

Restaurants in Coos Bay – Average Prices

Meals at a typical restaurant: $10.00 to $12.00.
Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course, average: $40.00 to $50.00.
Mcdonald’s Combo Meal: $8.00-$15.00.
Local 0.5-liter draught Beer: $4.75-$7.00.
Imported Beer: $4.00-$9.00.
Regular Cappuccino: $3.84 -$5.85.
Coke 0r Pepsi: $1.73-$2.85.
Water bottle: $1.33.

Groceries from Supermarket- Average Prices

Milk: 1 liter: $0.79 – $1.33.
Fresh White Bread Loaf 500g: $2.55 – $6.60.
White Rice 1kg: $3.99 – $9.93.
Eggs 12: $ 2.00 – $4.00.
Cheese Local 1kg: $11.70 -$28.60.
Chicken Fillets 1kg: $9.55- $13.30.
Ground Beef 1kg: $15.50 – $33.00.
Apples 1kg: $4.10 – $7.70.
Bananas 1kg: $1.63 – $3.86.
Oranges 1kg: $5.40 -$11.00.
Tomatoes 1kg: $5.10- $8.40.
Potatoes 1kg: $1.50 – $2.80.
Onions 1kg: $2.15 – $6.18.
Lettuce 1 head: $1.50 – $3.00.
Water Bottel 1.5 liter: $1.90-$5.00.
Wine Mid-Range: $6.99 – $32.00.
Local Beer 0.5 liter: $ 2.80 -$3.58.
Imported Beer 0.33-liter bottle: $ 2.60 – $3.50.

Transportation

Local One-way Bus Ticket: $3.75.
Monthly Bus Pass Regular: $15.00.
Taxi Normal Start Tariff: $3.00 – $8.00.
Taxi 1km Normal Tariff: $1.09 – $3.11.
Taxi 1hour Waiting Normal Tariff: $20.00 – $50.00.
Gasoline per gallon: $519.00 – $5.35.

Conclusion

Coos Bay is a beautiful place to live and the most affordable beach town in Oregon. Coos Bay’s beautiful beaches, hiking trails, camping spots, and outdoor activities are great attractions if you love nature. Not only does Coos Bay have lots to offer, but it is also considered the most affordable place to live in Oregon.

Coos Bay has the friendliest people that are always willing to lend a hand or offer some advice on where to find the best restaurant in town. This lovely beach town is exceptionally welcoming, and you’ll feel at home as soon as you step out of your car. Coos Bay is one of Oregon’s loveliest and cheapest places to live.

Sources

Chrissie Smuts

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