Former Californian here. I think the ship has largely sailed on California and it won’t be back for awhile. Either the state needs to lower costs or it needs to get the madness and onerousness in check, but it can’t be the way it is AND this expensive at the same time. I’d write it off unless you’re counting on a killer income or you have really strong ties.

Most of my Family relocated to Colorado to great success. Places like Denver, Boulder, etc have a lot of the same cultural advantages California used to have - liberal western individualism combined with an investment in community resources and very little social conservatism at the governmental level. You also have the amazing outdoors access. There’s enough political blue to keep the values where you want them, and enough political red to keep the blue grounded in the real world.

Denver is great for Tech. Other options are Raleigh and Austin, though Austin might be booming a bit too hard. Pittsburgh is a tech hub and very affordable but I personally find it kinda dumpy, although the mountain proximity and local culture is fun.