It's not necessary for something for something to be cheaper in order for it to be what people want. People regularly pay more for things they prefer. Neither i

It's not necessary for something for something to be cheaper in order for it to be what people want. People regularly pay more for things they prefer. Neither is it being cheaper proof one way or the other. Housing expenses are a complex system including a balance/imbalance of supply and demand. If suburbs are cheaper like-for-like, that's an indication (but not proof) that there's more supply in suburbs than demand relative to a style of living that's more expensive. Housing preferences are very much multi-dimensional, of which car vs non-car mobility is but one factor. Quality of schools, availability of jobs, need/desire for large amounts of interior or private exterior space, quiet, ease of resale, and hundreds of other factors conspire to set an individual household's willingness/preference to live in a place.