I was unemployed for 10 months during 2020 the start of the pandemic. The advantage I had living in a lower COL was that I was able to float through that unemployment period and come out financially unscathed. I wouldn't have been able to do that if I remained in the big city. My COL is 1/3rd what it use to be. It's also something to consider when retired and living on social security. Where I live now I can actually retire and live on social security checks until I drop dead or move into an old folks home. I will add that if I were in my younger days this place would drive me insane because there is nothing to do and it all shuts down at 9:00pm.