Name me an 'urban center' with adequate transit where you can live on $1400/mo? Anywhere within 30 miles of Seattle, that's rent.

That's true for a few, specific urban centers in the US - NYC, DC, SF, Seattle, etc. - but there are plenty of urban areas in the US with really poor public transit systems.

Even many urban centers in the US are car-centric, especially some of the more affordable ones. Chicago is probably the only affordable place with decent enough transit to go car-free. NY, Boston, and Seattle have pretty good transit, but the total COL expenses in those places still makes them out of reach for poor people. Anywhere else, and not having car will severely impact your job opportunities and probably your cost of living too (good luck saving money by buying from bulk discount stores when you can't carry most of it back).

Won't you spend the difference on extra rent, though?

> if you're anywhere near an urban center.

This isn't true even in most urban centers.

Have you been to DFW?