I mean, I'd love to buy somewhere cheaper, but that would require being even further outside of the city (and further from work) than I already am. Taking a job outside of the city means lower pay, making that place just as expensive as being sort of near, but not quite near the city. Not to mention that I'm already in a fairly cheap market (I mean, it's the Atlanta area so it's not "cheap", but it's not New York or San Francisco or what not). Trust me when I say that you can't live in (or near) the city without roommates unless you make a software salary or are very lucky.