The geographic size of the Bay Area's lack of affordability doesn't get enough context. Example: San Francisco to San Jose, 48mi (77km). Both cities are about as expensive, and so is most everything in-between.
*Driving distance but it's approximate enough. (1/8)
*Driving distance but it's approximate enough. (1/8)
On the east coast this would make Baltimore as expensive as DC, and the cost would stretch out to the bay. (2/8).
Meaux was about as close as the German army got to Paris during the start of the Great War in 1914. At only 60km away, an apartment would cost them as much as within the first 10 arrondissements. (6/8)
Or what if everything between Kyoto and Osaka was as expensive as central Tokyo? You could probably keep going and almost reach the end of the Kamo. (7/8)
The point is a perspective of how HARD it is to escape the high cost. This is how you get people commuting 4 hours to get to cities that don't care to give them accommodation, nor even good transit to make the journey bearable. (8/8)
P.S. San Francisco to San Jose is a snippet. The Bay still goes up to Marin, and past Berkeley on the Easy Bay. People are constantly being displaced further and further away as high costs move outwards.