Ironically, I think that the positive impact of UBI is probably well enhanced by various free-market processes. There's the cost of living balance you mention, but it also makes it easier for market forces to affect wages. When people don't literally have to work simply to survive, it gives them the option to say "no, this job sucks, I'm walking away from it" much more easily. That means that employers will need to be more attentive to their employees' needs if they want to keep them.