I think your point often gets missed in these conversations about rent vs buy.

You have two choices that masquerade as purely economic ones while ignoring the enormous lifestyle differences.

I rent a tiny room in the heart of NYC for the cost of probably a monthly mortgage payment on a nice house in upstate NY. For me there is really no alternative because my entire life revolves around my immediate walkable neighborhood.

The economics of rent vs buy matter but lifestyle and future expectations are too often downplayed in comparison.

That's exactly why, as a family man, I hate renting. You end up changing neighborhoods every few years, and none of your friends are permanent.