re: Cost of living - Oakland, Ca vs BR

If it's a huge career move for her, then it would probably be worth it. You may find that, in order to live a similar quality of life that you do in BR, you won't be saving any more than you are now, because the Bay Area is super expensive. It would take a long commute to save on rent. But the move would be in hopes that it pays off down the line. Oakland is not as expensive as SF, but it is not cheap by any means. Check out craigslist and see...I knew someone who rented a 2 bedroom apartment behind someone's house (it was old but nice) for $2600/month. So that's the kind of price you would pay for a small place.

Also it's a much more interesting place to live than BR.