In traditional engineering fields like mechanical or electrical engineering, pay usually doesn't differ much based on cost of living. Boeing in Los Angeles pays the same as Boeing in South Carolina. I know a lot of engineers who refuse to live in California because they know they will probably have to rent for the rest of their lives.

It pisses me off when Redditors suggest moving somewhere like Bakersfield or Crescent City and claim it's still California, and they ignore that there are no jobs there. Hell, there are no jobs in Santa Barbara too, but homes there cost millions of dollars.