California:

1500 sq ft will cost $500,000 in the Bay Area, in a middle-class neighborhood.

Vallejo: some nice houses, cheaper, but terrible schools (despite new facilities and dedicated teachers).

State income tax: about 10% of your Federal income.

Sales tax: I think it is around 7% statewide, and 9% in the Bay Area.

Gas; $1.00-1.25 higher per gallon than the national average.

BART: limited hours; can't get to or from the SFO airport before 6 AM or after 1100 PM. Dirty trains; I often felt uneasy riding it. Some unsavory characters riding it. Pretty expensive fares compared to subways in other major cities.

Living way north, east, or south: fog in the central valley will make travel slow, impossible, or dangerous.

Traffic in the Bay Area: awful. Car insurance rates: high.

I grew up in the Bay Area; just recently sold my childhood home. Could have lived in it, or used it as a crashpad, and been senior in SFO.

No thanks. The weather is great; everything else is awful.

I toyed with living in Tahoe on the Nevada side, but houses there are expensive, and commuting more difficult than it seems.

Good luck with your decision.