Cost of living in California is very divided depending on where you are. Housing cost can vary by x2,x3 easily for similar kind of living. Real problem is your job. IT jobs while being all over the places are usually concentrated on the more expensive area. I for one commute from place where cost of living is reasonable, cycling is good, decent for my kids, but decent job for me happens to be 45 miles away. I am pretty sure there are jobs for me where I live (SQL DBA) but at my current carrier, it's hard to find one that's senior enough with open position around at all.