All I can say, to those that are on the fence of leaving: Try it out. I, too, used to play nosebleed rent while rationalizing it all with "But I have family her

All I can say, to those that are on the fence of leaving: Try it out. I, too, used to play nosebleed rent while rationalizing it all with "But I have family here, I need [things that can be only found in high-COL cities], I have all my friends and network here, living in smaller places is boring" etc. Sure, some of those points were legit. It's not easy to leave family, friends, your network, and job - but if you can, and it doesn't completely ruin your career...try it. I went from a 270 sq.ft apartment, to 1200 sq.ft. - while slashing my rent by $2000 pr. month. I've learned to enjoy new things, especially outdoor activities. Going on hikes used to be a huge hassle in the city, because just getting to a decent spot would take forever...now it's 5 mins from my home. No more rush traffic. I live a 10 min walk from work, compared to using 45-60 mins (minimum) a couple of years ago. Of course, there are cons - lots of things I miss. But with all the money I'm saving, it's really no problem to take a small vacation here and there.