It is absurd. Bay Area prices are far too high, but there are still many suburbs in Bay Area proper that are $6k/mth payments. With current 1.5% 30-year mortgag

It is absurd. Bay Area prices are far too high, but there are still many suburbs in Bay Area proper that are $6k/mth payments. With current 1.5% 30-year mortgage premiums over 10-year treasury rates, you're effectively only paying (1.5% * mortgage) per month + property tax, because most of that money is saved going into principal of the house loan and the house price keeping with inflation. So net worth wise, you're only wasting around $2k/mth to live there... (out of a $30k/mth after-tax making staff engineer, and assuredly a $35k+/mth after-tax making surgeon couple) Of course, if you're too uppity to live in places like San Leandro, that's a you problem.