I see where you're coming from and I agree, Vancouver can definitely feel soul crushing if you're not making a lot of money. There's huge problems with the city right now.

But I also think it's important to maintain perspective. Nobody is talking about killing themselves in retirement. This is literally not a thing. Don't pretend it is, it'll only make you depressed and susceptible to conspiracy theorists.

Vancouver sucks, but it's also the most desirable city in Canada. There's a reason real estate is so expensive and keeps going up, it's because people keep moving in.