When my daughter was living in SF in 2009 she was paying $1150 a month for a 400-450 sq ft apt (tiny kitchen next to front door, bathroom and bedroom. It was about 4 steps from the kitchen to the bedroom with the bathroom in between) in a house converted to 4 apts.
When she moved here to KY in 2010 she said “I am earning 1/3 of what I was in CA and have more disposable income”.
Yep Cali and NYC are crap fest for cost of living
As I said wouldn’t even give consideration to anything under 1/2 mil a year and no guarantee I’d go even if offer was that.