I'm shocked when people complain they can't make ends meet at a $400k income. A quick google search shows that the cost of living in San Francisco may be on the high side by American standards, but would be completely unremarkable here in Western Europe, where an income that high is almost unheard of. Maybe they expect too much? Do they want a large family villa with room for two cars and a 100 year old oak in the yard in a neighborhood that's not too, uhm, 'diverse', and no more than half an hour from work and the downtown area? Yeah, your bosses want that too, so that's why it's expensive. You'll have to settle for something less perfect, or move somewhere else.