I'm just not sure if the cost of living is worth the pay increase both from a service provider and business owner perspective.... Arguments like network effect

I'm just not sure if the cost of living is worth the pay increase both from a service provider and business owner perspective.... Arguments like network effect, "being in the ecosystem" or near physical vicinity of other SV startups seem to be the face value but these are only superficial items. I almost feel like with the connected world, as long as you are in a fairly crowded North American city, it shouldn't matter....unless your customers were all focused in SV area. I'm not a city slicker or a instagram traveler so please feel free to offer any alternative view. Maybe being in SF is important but I'm too biased (haven't left Vancouver for 20+ years)...