[dmode]

I am someone who lives with a wife and a kid in the Bay Area. I lived in single income for a year (was making around 150K as well). I had a small single family home in East Bay, which I bought at around 600K. Had a tough commute to the peninsula. It is doable, if you are ready to live in East Bay - Fremont, Union City, Dublin, Livermore etc. A job in the City proper is actually better as you can take the BART.

No one mentions the upside of living in the Bay Area: 1. My pay doubled as the stock market reached new highs in 3 years 2. My wife got a job in the 120K range 3. We sold our home and made 200K profit from it

In 3 years, we secured an extremely comfortable life, with money in the bank, great experience, in a booming job market, a large house and with all the amenities of living in the Bay Area.

If I am in your position, I would think where I would be in 3-5 years time.