Something isn’t adding up (moving to SoCal) California residents please help.

Coming from Chicago (which is already expensive). I’ll be alone just me and my kid- single parent. I keep seeing conflicting posts regarding adequate income in order to live “comfortably” (which is all I need). I’ll be a registered nurse & new grads start off close to a 100k in California. With experience there’s nurses making 150k & up…

Anyways, I’m not looking to live lavish but I don’t understand how that wouldn’t be enough money to live a normal life. I’ve seen many people say it’s not and then I’ve seen many people say that it is? So what is it? There’s no way every California native and everyone who moves there is making more than 100k. From my research a lot of the average incomes in many areas in California are around 80/90 (there’s even some in the 60s) and they make it work so why would my income not be enough?

If it matters I’m considering ANYWHERE from Temecula to San Diego.

Also open to all advice :)