So basic income is the minimum living cost? What if minimum cost of living increase every year as it does? What if you live in San Francisco where the standard of living is crazy high? Do the citizens of S.F get a higher basic income than say Milwaukee?
The point of a universal/general basic income is that it's the same for everyone. SF's cost of living is significantly higher, but nobody's stopping you from getting a job there still on top of your GBI.
If on top of having a job and getting GBI you still can't live in San Francisco, then you'd move to a cheaper area of the state/country.
What's interesting is that a lot of people flock to urban areas for the increased opportunity, but with a GBI, this may not be the case as much because there's less of a strain to make ends meet. This could reduce the cost of living in urban areas.
This is an issue with the concept of basic income. Likely the most equitable solution would be for government to step in and provide housing directly or limit rents in some areas.
The federal basic income level would likely be based off of a national averages for cost of living, with state/city governments stepping in to provide greater subsidies if they feel it's needed. People may still need to pay more for convenience, but should have other options available, even if it means moving an hour or two away from the trendy metro areas.
