FlyerInHI: There seemed to be plenty of jobs within one or two miles of the coast in the northern burbs. A lot of retail, Palomar Airport, the marine base, quite a few office complexes, etc. When my friend moved from the East Coast to San Diego, she didn’t have a license or car for about a year and did fine in Encinitas. She had a bicycle and an over abundance of energy.
The-Shoveler: Can’t speak to LAX, but San Diego Airport is relatively accessible by public transport. There’s a bus from Santa Fe Terminal that takes 10-15 min.