After moving from Kansas to California, it's quite interesting. Gas is roughly about the same, some days a difference of ~$.20-.50. Food is actually the same pretty much, except a few items here or there a $1 or 2 difference. Eating out is definitely more expensive, unless you're used to eating at nationwide food chains(there's just more higher quality food places than mcdonalds/ect.), then the same price. Rent is definitely at least double(sometimes much more) for comparable housing.

Then (I work minimum wage jobs atm) my pay rose ~$2 an hour. Without roommates at low wages it would be impossible. Luckily there's so many people here, it's not hard to find a place, with 2-3 roommates who are outgoing and down to earth, that's affordable.

Another thing to get used to is traffic. If you're not going 10 over you'll easily be passed by everyone, including cops. So just don't go 15 over and you'll be alright(unless you're on the highway, then expect to hover around 75-80ish(even in construction zones and in 60's).

Once you get used to all of that, the weather is amazing, and it's really not that bad to be house broke out here because there's so much free shit to do outside. The beach, mountain trails, snowboarding(about a 2-3 hr drive for me), and so much more.

Car registration is also something to expect to have to pay a bit on if you don't have a good emissions vehicle.

But truthfully after getting out here, surrounded by people all the time (I grew up in a town of 3k people maximum), it's so amazingly beautiful and just the atmosphere everyone puts off I would have trouble if I went back home. I'd probably go crazy. I also do know I enjoy being in big cities after living in Omaha, NE for 3 years.

Also, I'm living in San Diego, so not sure how it is up north, and now I'll hit send before my high is all used for this post.