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In the bay area and almost everywhere on the west coast you are looking at over $1k/month in property taxes for that house with a "paid-off mortgage." In most states you never really "own" your home. You only own it while you pay tax every six months until you are dead.

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There's more to the US (and the world) than the West Coast.

Yes there’s also New York, Chicago, London, Paris... ;)

I think the commenter's point is yes you could cash out and move to nowheresville with a cheap house, but there's no point in playing that hypothetical game because it doesn't end (live in the ghetto! Your house is valued at $10k, aren't those low low property taxes sweet??)

They making the probably-fair assumption that these hypothetical people want to live at least close to where they're rooted their lives.

Why would you retire in a high cost of living area?

Because you like living there

The vast majority of people don't get to make those sort of decisions. It's a matter of "where can I live?", not "where do I _want_ to live?"

So, the ivory tower remark seems appropriate.

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