Look for a house with a granny unit?
I live in a HCOLA and bought a bigger place, in part so I could have a roommate. Worked out fine. If I could have found an affordable house with a granny, I'd have lived in the granny and rented out the house.
In fact, I do this in one of my resort rentals. It has a small guest house, which I retain for my own use, while I rent the main house out to a long-term tenant.