Is what true? Wages are lower in Lacombe Mississippi because poor people are trapped there and could never make it in New York. Cost of living in Manhattan is so high only the best paid people can afford to live there. The others have to scrunch up in dilapidated, slumlord apartments out in the Bronx or over on the Jersey side.
I can not believe your horrendous elitism........no wonder you are in favor of the "living wage" premise.
Let me tell you something. I was born, raised, and educated in NYC, I worked on Wall Street, in Greenwich Village, and on Park Avenue and one of the happiest days of my life was when I got a job that allowed me to move out of there.........and that was nearly 23 years ago.
My reference was to your 'guestimate' that the "living wage" would be sixteen dollars an hour.
This illustrates the fallacy of central planning. You, as an all-knowing socialist planner, just arbitrarily choose a number and think it will apply in all places. When this is really enacted then there will be political struggles because 16 won't be enough in Manhattan and will be more than sufficient in Podunk. If there is anything that is clear in 20th century history it is the FAILURE of central planning. Out of the struggles will come the dictatorship because someone will have to force the one solution.
You analysis of cost of living is simply circular and again ignores market forces. Costs of living escalate when there is so much competition. High talent is drawn to metropolitan markets by demand, not freeing poor people who are "trapped" or "enchained".
You will understand the world much better when you learn something besides a Marxist world view.