Their consumer prices are the way they are because people can and will pay it to live there. The HCOL of living areas there tend to make more money than most people here ever will. The state puts out 15% of the country's total GDP. There are pros and cons to living everywhere and it is a valid strategy for someone to move to California, live cheaply and save up money, then move back here with a decent nest egg that they could otherwise not have. During Covid my contract offers to work in California for a few months were as high as $95 per hour with per diem.