The key difference is mobility. Basic income means people don't have to live in Philly near their job. They can move to Iowa and dramatically raise their standard of living.
Money is just an abstraction for real goods and services produced by the economy. Presumably we need people to live in Philly since that's where our industry is. If people moved away to some remote place, wouldn't our economy take a hit? Not to mention the transportation costs of servicing a more remote, less dense area.
The creates upward pressure on wages, as businesses need to attract more workers.
Dont see how this is a bad thing, given that wages have been stagnant for decades