I am an LA native.
I can tell you a lot of CA is gorgeous. And the weather is good through most of the state.
But if you’re going to make decent money to live comfortably, with a car, your own home and the amenitites, you’ve got to live in a big city.
But then, I love living in LA anyway ...
You just cannot beat a redwood grove. Or Bixby bridge.
You can not do it.
I used to want to live in Big Sur like nobody’s business. Good thing I never did. I’d have made a horrible hippie.