The average cost of living for ONE person EXCLUDING rent is a minimum of $1000. This would include things like food, transportation, insurances, utilities etc..
Rent in most places is a minimum of $1500/month but more realistically 2k per month. These wages after taxes are are only about $3500/month on the high end. I must be missing something. Articles like this are frustrating and completely discount the truth of what people are doing to survive.