Supply/demand. Cheap, unskilled labor will always be in large supply. Yet the cost of doing without is much greater than the cost of paying people who are willing to do this job.

3/22/2011 1:25:49 AM

always? The people of the 25th century might disagree. If great AI is invented but robots are crap, then AI will take over all skilled positions and all humans will earn an identical wage providing unskilled labor moving stuff around.

3/22/2011 9:25:32 AM

you watched one too many Terminator movies apparently.

3/22/2011 11:59:49 AM

Quote :

"Living in an expensive city is, itself, a luxury."

Not necessarily. Some would consider it a luxury to live in the country. Additionally, depending on your occupation, it may make more economic sense to live in an expensive city, simply based on the employment opportunities available.

For example, in my field, I would struggle to find work in my hometown of Inez, NC. In contrast, I can find ample work in Orlando, Florida. While my cost of living is higher in Orlando, I can afford a very comfortable lifestyle here, whereas I'd live in poverty in a smaller area.

Also, as eleusis mentioned, living in an expensive NEIGHBORHOOD is the true luxury. More affordable neighborhoods can be found in any city.

4/15/2011 10:45:07 AM

You're missing my point in the context of that post. Someone cited "high cost of living" as a reason why someone earning a relatively large salary would be "middle class". I disagree, because there is an inherent, practical increase in the quality of life associated with living in an expensive region. Thats pretty much the reason why cost if living varies in the first place.

[Edited on April 15, 2011 at 1:46 PM. Reason : grammars]

4/15/2011 1:45:31 PM

No, otherwise people wouldn't retire to lower cost of living areas. They do it to increase their quality of life once their job isn't tying them to a certain area.

The reason many large metro areas are expensive is simple supply and demand, due to there being a finite amount of dirt for people to reside on, and a lot of people trying to live in the area due to the jobs associated with the city.

4/15/2011 3:28:08 PM

Job availability falls under quality of life. Cities are expensive for a reason. If you don't seek the life-quality benefits of a city, then you don't need to be there. The fact that you live in an area where wages are higher doesn't change the fact that everyone has the option of living somewhere else.

4/15/2011 6:04:40 PM

Quote :

"The reason many large metro areas are expensive is simple supply and demand, due to there being a finite amount of dirt for people to reside on"

Well, primarily zoning restrictions. New York would have far more living space at far lower prices today if the city would allow it. But, they don't. So, they don't.

4/15/2011 11:19:43 PM