Rent is only one part of location cost
A lease payment is visible. Lost visibility, poor access, weak surrounding anchors, and a mismatch with the target customer are harder to see before opening.
A lower-rent location can still become expensive if it forces the business to spend more time and money creating demand that a stronger site would naturally support.
The right comparison is not cheap versus expensive
A better comparison is risk-adjusted: what does each site offer in demand, access, competition, parking, visibility, and operational fit?
A site with higher rent may be stronger if it reduces customer friction, improves repeat visits, or gives the business a clearer market position.
What to review before choosing the lower rent
Review nearby competitors, access routes, parking, target-customer fit, anchor businesses, visibility, and any lease or field conditions that could limit performance.
The goal is not to reject low rent. The goal is to understand why the rent is low and whether the business has a realistic plan to overcome the location risk.