Personally, I ask my friends who complain about rent why they just don't change what they want, e.g. roommates, worse quality, further away, worse amenities, etc. and generally they say they want it all.

Well, unfortunately to have it all you have to pay. Paradoxically, those who want to live in the city will want to enjoy the amenities, which cost money. Money that will take them that much further from buying a house. Clearly, from the behavior they must not want a house that much.