Austin lacks the public transportation, bike infrastructure, and arts culture of all of these cities, along with what you’ve said. It’s more dense than most places in the south, but I could never realize the dream of being car-less there. Having to drive to social functions is probably the biggest differentiating factor, in my mind, between expensive coastal cities and cheap southern cities.

I think I meant the progressive/liberal/weirdness of the Bay Area. South Bay/Silicon Valley has pretty weak public transportation and art compared to SF, as it is.

sure they do and there is a lot of interchange (less so austin). But yes I am referring to regional specific demographics and subcultures which SF has a much higher per capita population of than almost any other city. Seattle and portland feel sooooo small compared to the bay and while LA definitely does not it has its own set of challenges.