Absolutely this. I have a two-bedroom apt. in Brooklyn that's the size of a small house. No roommate. I just like the space. I pay the same amount as my cousin

Absolutely this. I have a two-bedroom apt. in Brooklyn that's the size of a small house. No roommate. I just like the space. I pay the same amount as my cousin, who lives in Manhattan in a studio apt that's smaller than my guest bedroom/office. At my current job in the financial district, the commute would be the same. Plus, I live in a historic neighborhood where there are houses with lawns and gardens and trees. And it reminds me of home in Texas. NYC isn't as bad as SF, but it can be really awful if you insist on living in the most "happening" parts of town.