Biggest mistake in my life was leaving Boston. People weren't unfriendly, they just had busy lives and didn't have time for BS, but if you were waiting at a T stop you could easily strike up a conversation. I lived in Brookline and I can easily think of 5 different places with great food (at reasonable prices) in that area alone. Sure, it was kinda cold in winter; okay it's not as easy to navigate as Manhattan, but it's got character. There are ways to live cheap there but yeah the biggest killer is rent, either you'll be commuting a lot or you'll be living cramped. Still, it's one of my 3 favorite cities in the world.