Cost of Living: Vista, CA vs Houston, TX

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Vista, CA versus $4,516/mo in Houston, TX. In the model, rent is about 31.3% of gross in Vista, CA versus 19.13% in Houston, TX, so Houston, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Vista, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Houston, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Vista, CA
31.3%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Houston, TX
19.13%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Vista, CA and Houston, TX.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Houston, TX
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Houston, TX
  • Lower home prices: Houston, TX
  • Higher median household income: Vista, CA

Cost of Living Index

Vista, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100)

Houston, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Vista, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Vista, CA: $2,041/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Houston, TX: $1,248/mo

Median rent in Vista, CA is $793/mo higher than in Houston, TX.

Median Home Price

Vista, CA: $674,400 · Houston, TX: $253,400

Median home price in Vista, CA is $421,000 higher than in Houston, TX.

Median Household Income

Vista, CA: $91,854 · Houston, TX: $62,894

Vista, CA has a higher median household income than Houston, TX by $28,960.

Vista, CA overview · Houston, TX overview · Popular comparisons