I remember when I was in university in Ottawa 1991-1995 and in the summers off my parents would ask me why I'm coming home, why don't I find a summer job and live in Ottawa. It's not that they hated the kids, but to my parents having an able bodied 20-something man in the house was ridiculous. I shared this opinion myself, and within 3 days of getting my first job after graduation (paid $26K) I moved out to a basement apartment on the Danforth. I could hardly afford the rent of $700 a month, and when my job required a car it nearly broke me, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Perhaps it's different for young women or cultural groups where the young adults are treated as children no matter their age, but to me, as a man, one with a strong sense of competitiveness and desire for independence, I saw it as my duty and right to get out and make it on my own. So at a young age I looked for ways out, including going to RMC to join the military, emigrating to other countries where the cost of living may be less, etc, etc.
I never considered that I couldn't afford it, in my mind, I couldn't afford not to.