San Diego isn't that bad of a job market if you are willing to take a slight financial hit and already reasonably financially established. If you bought a home right after the crash, and took out alow interest mortgage, you're mortgage payments are probably lower than how much it would cost you to rent right now. And if you've been participating in the stock market for the past couple of years, should should have more than enough emergency funds to bridge you for about 2-3 years of continuous unemployment if it really came to that.
In the bay area, while it's a good source of steady paycheck, unless you already own a home up there, or unless you are one of the lucky ones that hit it big with stock options, you aren't really going to be able to get ahead. There's a couple that is my tenant. Both husband and wife work as engineers up there, and they can't come up with 20% downpayment for their own home. They rent for about $4500/month for the past few years, and they have kids that they insist they have to send to private schools since they aren't happy with the public school there. The cost of home ownership is close to $550 per square foot in just a so-so neighborhood. And rent has been going through the roof, even more so than here in San Diego. Realistically that couple's gross income is probably around $250k combined, but after taxes it's probably closer to around $150-160k. And on top of that their kids expenses is about $30k. And their rent is $54k. So that leaves them with around $70k for other essentials like food, clothing, transportation, etc. So realistically, maybe they can save $50k/year. A tiny house where they rent costs around $1.3-1.4 million. Unless they get an unexpected windfall in stock options, it will take them about 5 years just to save around 20% down. And that's with no cash reserves in case either of them do go unemployed.