It’s harder to do in a Western world. For example say that it’s cheaper to live in Indiana. The cost of moving from Texas, if you do it yourself, is about $4k. For many people that is considered too expensive. As a result they stay in place, which causes them to mentally collapse into anxiety or depression.
Another issue is the trend of return to office. There were people who moved to less expensive locations. They are now being required to come into the office. One guy with whom I work is spending about $1k a month on gas to do this. So now he is effectively losing $12k per year to keep his job. If he moves, he loses his lifestyle and his 3% mortgage. This puts him in a tight spot.
