He's calculating the cost of commuting vs not commuting. That's not a real comparison for most people. And even if you do calculate the real cost differential

He's calculating the cost of commuting vs not commuting. That's not a real comparison for most people. And even if you do calculate the real cost differential, I think for many people, living somewhere you really like is similar to taking a job that you really enjoy. I would take decreases in salary for an awesome work environment. Call me crazy, but if I have the ability to "pay" for sanity, I will. It's priceless.