I think this may be one of those things where the kids now determine where dad works: I have seen a lot of parents say they wanted to move for career/financial reasons, but the kids didn't want to, so they didn't. That sounds like it may be the case here: he's from Washington DC which is the sixth most expensive housing market, although if he's owned a home there for a long time, that may not affect him so much. Of course you have the cold winters and hot, steamy summers with their attendant very high heating and air conditioning bills.
I also wonder if he got here and wondered himself about pulling up stakes to move cross country to a Tijuana radio station with a new format? Was there something in management that gave him second thoughts?
Jack is yet another DJ who had a really good run at one place, probably making a really great salary, and now finds himself on the market in a vastly changed atmosphere from the last time he had to look for work: the opportunities fewer, the pay is less...