But it is a luxury... The demand for housing is affected by convenience. Those with more buying power are able to afford more convenient locations.
This is not unique to any particular city or country. I personally have experience with SoCal and Moscow. In SoCal, a 2br condo in Santa Monica costs the same as a house in a nice suburb, the difference is an hour+ drive. In Moscow, inner city is gridlocked 24/7 and unlike most of US, that's where the best jobs are, so the closer to downtown, the more expensive it is. Further out, prices are highest in walking proximity to a metro station (just like BART).
This is not unique to any particular city or country. I personally have experience with SoCal and Moscow. In SoCal, a 2br condo in Santa Monica costs the same as a house in a nice suburb, the difference is an hour+ drive. In Moscow, inner city is gridlocked 24/7 and unlike most of US, that's where the best jobs are, so the closer to downtown, the more expensive it is. Further out, prices are highest in walking proximity to a metro station (just like BART).