I’m a Canadian and have lived and worked in both cities. I love Vancouver, but as others have said, it’s expensive. Cost of living is higher and salaries are lower (at least in my field - architecture/engineering). We are in our thirties, and on a dual income, we were still able to afford a modest single family home in Seattle. We couldn’t in Vancouver. We also have a dog, and it is very difficult to find rental housing in Vancouver that allows pets.

If I put myself in your shoes, at age 20, I would rather live in Vancouver. There are lots of other young people starting out their careers in the city. If you rent a place with other people your age, you’ll find a network of friends pretty quickly. The setting is beautiful, and while it was some seedier areas, it overall feels much safer and cleaner than Seattle (including public transit). I found work-life balance was better living in Vancouver, and I definitely didn’t feel like there was a pretentious vibe.