Cheap-ish places to live in CA?

Well anywhere in Orange County (Laguna), your money does not go very far house-wise. The property value is VERY high, because its such a desirable area to live in. The further inland you go, the cheaper the property is. It really depends on your exact budget, but I would suggest going to realtor.com, and type in the area you're interested in to get a good idea of what you get for what money. Southern California is very densely populated, so pretty much anywhere you live will be close to some good shopping. The biggest mall in America, South Coast Plaza, is located in Newport Beach.