Right, but if you live with roommates (assuming single no kids as well), don't own a car, and are willing to commute 45 min by public transportation, you can li

Right, but if you live with roommates (assuming single no kids as well), don't own a car, and are willing to commute 45 min by public transportation, you can live in any HCOL (high cost of living) city in the world, including SF/BayArea. And you originally claimed SF was overly regulated, so I'm not sure how that compares to Singapore. Every location has its ups and downs, and those will affect each person differently, depending on their situation. That said, I do support your original intent of encouraging people to find alternative lifestyles and locations and not get stuck in the rat race.