In my experience Verif is right about the cost of living thing.

Do not be fooled by employers who tell you BS about how you get paid LESS in lower tier cities (or smaller cities/towns) because they are smaller and therefore your wage is. BULL.

The very opposite is closer to the truth - the further away and the smaller the location and the lower tier ought to be - if anything - MORE pay required. and for reasons mentioned here too: many things can actually be MORE expensive. Especially western comforts, foods and services westerners might be looking for.

Its also worth mentioning travel in and out of a smaller city/town could be much more expensive for you in the overall scheme. In major cities you might be a subway ride or a simple bus fare away from your airport where you may well need 1 flight back home. In smaller or lower tier cities you may very well have to take a taxi to a bus to a train (no, not a high-speed train but a slow train) which 20 hours later take you to another taxi or bus that takes you to an airport. Or an airport fee to a big city then to home.

but the point being - dont be fooled by claims that smaller city = smaller pay. that is definitely not the case.