> Even with your big tech salary you won't be better off than the local business owners
Exactly! But you're not a local business owner.
How much do you local business owners profit on average?
Exactly! But you're not a local business owner.
Remote work doesn't mean home office. You can rent part of a shared office and still have colleagues for lunch.
You don't need to move to a place where you will be 'the rich guy'. It's your choice. Even with your big tech salary you won't be better off than the local business owners in a place with around 20k inhabitants.