We lived in the Bay Area for 3 years (I worked there 4 years) and loved our time there. However, from the time that we moved in to the time we left, rent on our house increased by 31%. We realized that we would never get ahead in living there. We relocated to So. Cal last summer for a new job, and my financial situation improved dramatically while still making the same money. Orange County is still very expensive compared to many other metro areas outside of California, but it is a significant improvement over the Bay Area. My food bill has decreased by ~15% because there is competition down here (not just Safeway and Whole Foods.) I rent a house that is the same size but 20 years newer for less than what I originally rented our house for in Pleasanton. Gas is cheaper, commuting to work is cheaper, kids activities are cheaper, etc. My standard of living has increased dramatically.