Companies in California pay you the highest wages of any place in world history to do the same jobs. It's not the companies that are fucking you over.
EG -- a programmer makes $100K in Cali for the same job that pays $60K elsewhere in the country that pays $40K in other first world countries that pays $10K in the third world. It's not the company's fault that $100K doesn't buy you anything in Cali.
EG -- A waiter makes minimum wage ($12-$15/ hour depending on where in Cali) + tips. Yes, tipped jobs are still paid the minimum wage by their employer in Cali. So a waiter is clearing $30+ an hour easy, often $40-$60/ hour. The same job makes like $20-$30K full time elsewhere in the US, and like $5K/ year in other parts of the world.
Companies in Cali are paying you ridiculous money.