My car doesn't cost me $9K/year thank goodness. But if we moved to Memphis proper I can guarantee our living expenses would increase by more than $9K per year over what it is now. For one thing it would be moving farther, much farther, away from work - no bike commuting. We wouldn't even consider it unless I had some really awesome job offer at a place in the city. But it would be hard to leave where I've been for over 9 years now.