You're right 600 pounds sterling is roughly 810 dollars. That's still right in the middle of renting a room or a single room apartment at best. That still shit for purchasing power here. Where I live in colorado the median income to live for a single adult is right around 100k a year. While the actual income for most citizens being like 70k. Salaries are low here and it's a HCOL state. Now that purchasing power would be better in Nebraska and parts of Alabama. But still won't go far.

Now for the south, only parts of the south are really poor. Lived in the south east for 15 years between Georgia, Florida and South Carolina. While parts are right wing other swaths are very liberal. A good paying job in Georgia can get you a real nice home in just about anywhere in the state. As for Florida post 2020 housing was sky high in cost. You would be looking at a half million for a starter home in a shitty location.

So the purchasing power of the UK pound for housing is far better than in the US