While living comfortably is a relative term, the cost of living in California is steep. Housing costs in particular are significantly higher than in the rest of the country. In addition, utility expenses are 29 percent higher and food costs are 12 percent higher than national averages. As a result, according to MIT’s living-wage calculator, a single individual would need to earn at least $21.82 per hour to have what’s considered a living wage in the state.