Michael Ash writes:

My whole point is that all else *won't* be equal.

It has been sufficiently so in this case.

That's why you need to be good at a niche where there won't be plenty of
locals. If you aren't good at such a niche, become good.

Which niche, and how? There are many. It is necessary to find a niche that
justifies the investment of becoming "good."

Obvious and therefore pointless to state.

No more so than "there are plenty of other cities that aren't dumps."

Being happy is important. Living in a place you like isn't making you
happy. Time to try something else.

Living in a place that is worse will not make me happier.

And yet by your own admission you are not happy there, so what purpose
does it really serve?

It does not make me unhappy to live where I live, so why move?

You're less unhappy than you would be if you were an unsuccessful
beggar living in some other city?

Yes.

No worse than Paris.

Considerably worse than Paris, if you look at the numbers. Both too hot in
summer and too cold in winter.

It's been years, nothing has changed. Nothing is *going* to change unless
you change that.

Moving won't change it.