Even at 180k, your still looking at 10x the average income of someone on minimum wage, coupled with the huge deposits required by the banks now, owning a home as a single person on £18k-£19k a year is likely to be impossible. Certainly with some banks no longer allowing the bank of mum and dad to chip in. So in the scenario you say above, it doesn't matter if you live in the south or north, if your on minimum wage and single your very unlikely to get on the property ladder regardless.
Even a 1 bed flat will set you back 100k with a 5-15% deposit with high rental costs could take an eternity to save up, by then the goal posts would have shifted further. Just saying things like just move, or just earn more. Is very narrow minded and something someone who's never had to "struggle" would say without knowing the reality of what millions of people go through every day.