[timr]

So now your argument has gone from "the cost does not increase" to "the cost does not double"? I think you've conceded my essential point -- costs go up when a bunch of rich Microsofties move to town. Now you're just arguing to argue.

And no, it isn't just a matter of per-capita spending: when rich people move into an area, costs go up more rapidly than when poor people move into an area. It's the reason you see cheaper rents in the Mission than you do in Pac Heights.