The biggest hole in this premise is that it assumes you own your home/place to live, or are willing to live in a cardboard box.
Sadly, most of us do not own or want to live in a cardboard box.
Sadly, most of us do not own or want to live in a cardboard box.
You are doing yourself a disservice if you think you must live in a high COI area to have a well paying job. Also, if you think you need to live in traditional housing to have a high standard of living or to be socially accepted.
Not everybody is American, you know