There are definitely similar studies in other countries, although I don't have them to hand. I did just see a survey for the UK which put the cheapest areas to live with house prices 3.8 times the average wage up to about 9.8 the average wage in the most expensive, and the cost of housing and rent has rocketed up since I first started renting 10 years ago...

After the mortgage there's not a lot left to spend on anything else!