This. This a thousand times. You'd much rather earn 10x and spend 8x than earn 2x and spend x, because at the end of the day you have twice as much money in the

This. This a thousand times. You'd much rather earn 10x and spend 8x than earn 2x and spend x, because at the end of the day you have twice as much money in the bank. "Cost of living" is a bastardization of the concept of real wages that doesn't even make the slightest economic sense.