The weather
The ocean
The scenery
I can buy >5% ABV beer
I can buy alcohol on Sunday
I won’t get a potentially career ending DUI at .05 BAC
I can do things on Sunday
I don’t have to shovel snow


People seem to get hung up on the price of real estate, but buying California real estate made me more money than working at a major airline for my first several years. Treat it like an investment. There is a reason real estate is more expensive in California (because there is more demand for people wanting to live there).

Full disclosure, I do not live in SFO.