Well, yes, but that's La Jolla. It's one of the most expensive parts of one of the most expensive towns in California, likely the priciest state in the union. You can enjoy a very comfortable life for 5k in Long Beach or Irvine, or basically anywhere in San Diego that's not in La Jolla.
The same thing applies in DR. I have clients who live or have lived in the Usual Suspect places (Santo Domingo, Punta Cana, Santiago, Las Terrenas, Cabarete/Sosua, etc.,) and do just fine, thank you, on 5k a month after taxes. No, they won't be next to Vin Diesel's villa in Casa de Campo, but they will get a nice condo, have all their reasonable food and drink expenses covered, get cable and internet that's as good as is typical in their area, and live in relative air conditioned comfort.
Excessive booze/chica/sanky/whatever expenses are generally what jams up a person's budget. Funny, we had a running thread for years where it was argued, by people who live there on a full or substantial time basis, that $2,500 was enough. Now, 5k is a so-called "struggle."
Interesting.