Get a visa to come here for an internship, build your networks & explore, then look for a 'serious' job after this. There are many places to look for jobs.. AngelList is probably the easiest place at the moment. You can also find wage information there.

Rent really depends on where you are located. SOMA could be minimum $2k+/month for studio. Mission area could be cheaper. SV probably has similar prices to SF.

Look for housing on airbnb/craigslist/walking around... really depends on what type (long term, short term, etc). There are also a few hacker houses around that you could probably stay at.