Yes, by comparison, the person making $24,000 is most certainly rich. They make twice as much. It's not like that money just disappears. Obviously paying twice the rent nets you twice the living arrangements. When both of the amounts are low it sounds silly to say that one is rich and the other isn't, but still ending up with $0 at the end doesn't make them equal in any way.It's relative isn't it? Rich is about what your money can do for you. If you live in a place where rent costs $2000 vs $1000, someone who makes $24000 compared to $12000 both end up having $0 at the end of the day right? Is the person who makes $24000 rich because they make more but still end up with $0 in the end? No. Higher living costs means you need to make more money in order to be comparable to someone who makes less money but has a lower living cost.
If one person makes $480k and the other makes $48k and rent is $40,000 vs $4,000, is the first person not rich simply because they both end up with $0?
A higher living cost means a higher standard of living, it doesn't mean that that person is suddenly equal with anyone else who lives paycheck to paycheck.
I don't care what anyone says. If you spend $800 a month on wine, you're rich.