> You suggest (by placing those two quotes together) that seeking happiness in a less expensive area will put people in financially precarious situations. That

> You suggest (by placing those two quotes together) that seeking happiness in a less expensive area will put people in financially precarious situations. That may be true. The Bay Area has expensive housing, but a lot of things cost the about the same everywhere in the country -- an iPhone, a Honda Civic, a lawnmower, a water heater, clothing, school supplies, etc. The salaries in the Bay Area are also a lot higher than elsewhere. People spend a lot of money on housing, but all of the other stuff they buy costs a smaller portion of their income than it does in other places.