I am looking to move to a new city from Florida...?

Seattle has good public transport **IF** you work Commuter hrs and Downtown or near the University

if your job is not "traditional" 9-5 ish hrs you may not have much bus service depending on where you live in Seattle-

So it will all depend on Where you Live and Where you Work and When you Work so Research Carefully

There has been several Cuts in Bus service for Weekends and Non Commuter Weekdays and threats of More Cuts to come.

Also Rents are higher expect at least $1,300+ for a one bedroom apt in the City

As of August, 2013, average apartment rent within 10 miles of Seattle, WA is $1478.

One bedroom apartments in Seattle rent for $1327 a month on average and two bedroom apartment rents average $1797.

http://www.rentjungle.com/average-rent-in-seattle-...

It sounds like you're between a rock and a hard place. Portland and Seattle are not the places to move to right now. Cost of Living in both cities is high, likely higher then what you're paying now unless you live in the best parts of Miami. Also, jobs are hard to find in Portland especially without skills.

Good news is that both cities are easy to bike around. The rule of thumb is to never move without a job lined up, and if you do move, you need to have 6-8 months of living expenses saved up. Keep in mind that you'll also need to pay first and last months rent not to mention any security deposits and fees.

If you are looking for liberal and cheap, perhaps Austin Texas might be a good place? It's compared to Portland quite often.

Seattle and Portland are not small cities, nor are they inexpensive. However, they both do have good public transit; but getting a job can be sketchy because there are many people moving into these cities, and they are all looking for jobs.

"Short on cash" really hurts too, as you would need first, last and security deposit on an apartment plus a few months' wages in the bank to live on before getting your first paycheck in (any) new city.