A lot of people end up married, and when you put two $75,000 salaries together, it can make living and saving much easier. Unmarried people in big cities often have roommates, which makes it much easier to save and pay off debt. When I first moved to the DC area, I had three roommates and paid around $500 a month in rent and had no car.
Let's also not forget that around half the people in New York do not pay market rate for their rent. Talking about income and rent in NYC is more complicated than this thread would lead you to believe.
And if you live in a major city, you often have significantly lower transportation costs. Yes rent is high in urban areas, but transportation costs are very low. The two should be added together to compare cost of living between two areas.
Let's also not forget that around half the people in New York do not pay market rate for their rent. Talking about income and rent in NYC is more complicated than this thread would lead you to believe.
And if you live in a major city, you often have significantly lower transportation costs. Yes rent is high in urban areas, but transportation costs are very low. The two should be added together to compare cost of living between two areas.