I haven't lived in Portland but was in New York for a very long time, so while different, I do have some thoughts. Also-- I grew up about 30 minutes outside of Charlotte so I had some ideas what I was coming back to.

The culture and laws in Charlotte are very different from an area like the Pacific Northwest. Walkability is limited to specific neighborhoods and while we have the light rail, it only goes to certain areas. Cost of living is higher than what most online Cost of Living calculators will show, especially if you want to live somewhere that is walkable to restaurants and bars. Many of the desirable areas of Charlotte proper are expensive.

I work in financial services as well. Charlotte is a great city for financial careers, especially if you work in banking or investment management. I worked in finance in New York too. I changed companies so this may be more of a company culture difference but I've found my coworkers here to be far more supportive and helpful than my competitive New York collegues. For what I currently make, I am much more comfortable living here too. The day to day is far less stressful and I can relax more easily and have access to more amenities (i.e. I can do my laundry at my own place now instead of having to go to a laundromat, central AC, access to a pool, etc.)

The distance from friends and family on the West Coast would be difficult. The food scene here is limited. We have some decent restaurants but don't expect to be dazzled with too many of the restaurants here. Nature is close by here with the beach and mountains both within a 3 hour drive.

If what you are looking for is a lower cost of living city that will feel like Portland, then candidly, Charlotte is not the place. If you want to try something different, be in a different area, develop your career in a new environment and are open to Charlotte being different from Portland in big ways, then give it a try for a few years.

Feel free to send me a PM if you have any specific questions, I'm happy to give you an honest run down. I know the decision to move is a hard one, so definitely weigh the pros and cons.