Somehow I doubt that any of that has too much effect on quality of life. I live on less than 400 USD per month and I bet I'm happier than the average Bay Area resident. I also know that I eat far better. Via the internet I have access to all the arts I could ever want. My transit is a bicycle, which is ideal for me. My city is FAR more diverse than anywhere in the US and I'm a few hours from the sea. Weather is a bit hot but I like that. But like I said, pretty sure whether I'm happy vs. sad derives from something else entirely.