Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Houston, TX
VS
San Diego, CA
🏆 San Diego leads 15 of 22 categories
Houston
Texas
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,440
Violent Crime Index
302⚠ High
Population
2,296,253 ✓ Larger
San Diego
California
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,657 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
108⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,383,987
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Houston, TX
Pros
Homes cost $548k less ($235,000 vs $783,300)
Rent averages $845/mo less ($1,235 vs $2,080)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than San Diego
Smaller class sizes — 16.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails San Diego by $38,217/yr
Violent crime (1148.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4293.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
San Diego, CA
Pros
Households earn $38,217 more per year on average
64% less violent crime than Houston
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.5 pts lower (6.1%)
More college-educated — 48.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 80°F vs 93°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $783,300
Higher rents — median is $2,080/mo
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.5)
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Houston
Key Differences at a Glance
Houston
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 100.2 vs 111.5 (100 = US avg)
Houston
Median Home Value
$548k less
$235,000 vs $783,300
Houston
Summer Heat
13.4°F warmer
July avg high 93.2°F vs 79.8°F
San Diego
Median Income
$38,217
$98,657 vs $60,440/yr
San Diego
Violent Crime
64% lower
412.2 vs 1148.2 per 100k
San Diego
Unemployment
0.5 pp lower
6.1% vs 6.6% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Houston, TX | San Diego, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 100.2⚠ High ✓ Cheaper | 111.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $235,000 ✓ Lower | $783,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,235 ✓ Lower | $2,080⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,440 | $98,657 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.6%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.4 min | 24.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.8% | 16.9% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 263⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 302⚠ High | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 204⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) | B (103) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.2% | 48.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 79.6% | 89.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | HOUSTON ISD | San Diego Unified |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 62.8°F | 67.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.2°F ✓ Warmer | 79.8°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 55.4" | 11.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 2,296,253 ✓ Larger | 1,383,987 |
| Median Age | 33.9 | 35.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.0% | 47.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.9% ✓ More | 19.0% |
| Over 65 | 11.6% | 13.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Houston's cost of living index is 100.2 vs San Diego's 111.5 (US average = 100).
Houston is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, San Diego leads 15 of 22 categories. Houston wins 7 and San Diego wins 15. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Houston to San Diego or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($235,000 vs $783,300 median home), income ($60,440 vs $98,657), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Houston, TX and San Diego, CA are about 1,298 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.