I've had many cars, I've bought houses, I've driven to work and grocery shopping. About the last ~decade, I tried something different.
I started renting. When I rent, I look for a place walking distance to at least one major store, and areas like parks. Had a couple of gigs where I need to be onsite once/twice per week. Had a gig onsite daily. About half of it was remote work. Sometimes paid more rent for it, sometimes not.
In that decade, I've moved 6 times, lived in 3 states and another country, and have not owned a car or taken a bus unless vacationing overseas. The wife and I do have bikes. If it's crap weather a week straight I order from the store, usually with free shipping/delivery if you buy enough.
Houses are getting ridiculously expensive, but that market crashes - I've been through the 2008 one and had to sell at a loss. we're about to hit one now. now you could be lucky and just ride it out in your house. or you could get canned because the economy is down when your house is down, and have to sell at a loss when you move for the new job. it's a risk, risk has cost, over your lifetime you're more likely to get shafted at least once and it'll be for 6 figures. just average that out over your remaining lifetime as a monthly cost.
With napkin-math, if you:
1. take your downpayment and just dump in into smth like vigax
2. subtract out the interest you'd pay on a loan, assuming you sell before the loan end date so you lost a lot in interest on amortization
3. include that your job market is now worldwide, or even your country-wide so you get a better job that leaves more in your pocket
you actually come out ahead. like a lot ahead. yes, a couple of times a year I rent a car for a few days, and about 5-10 times a year I pay for a lyft. and it's been no issue at all. ever go home from the office to take an hour nap? or get an apartment above your office buildings, sit at home, and just take the elevator down or cross the street to go to a meeting?
cars are not easy. cars are a pain in the ass full of unpleasant surprises, and are a financial garbage dump. a bus or a subway doesn't have to replace cars - planning around using two feet is not only possible, it's dirt easy.