Houston vs San Diego Cost of Living
Houston (United States) · Overall index 64.2 — San Diego (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, San Diego is 25% more expensive than Houston.
- Rent in San Diego is 72% more expensive than in Houston.
- Transport in San Diego is 25% more expensive than in Houston.
| Item | Houston | San Diego | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +72% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,545 | $2,906 | +88% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $987 | $1,560 | +58% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,154 | $5,348 | +70% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,052 | $3,541 | +73% |
| Groceries | +14% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.05 | $1.29 | +23% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.3 | $3.77 | +14% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.93 | $4.26 | +8% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.8 | $4.41 | +16% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $12.1 | $14.8 | +22% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $9.92 | $12.7 | +28% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $14.4 | $19.1 | +33% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.86 | $5.14 | +6% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.96 | $1.82 | -7% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.3 | $3.98 | -7% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.92 | $5.15 | +5% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.66 | $3.07 | +15% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.22 | $2.92 | +32% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.46 | $2.36 | -4% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.93 | $2.61 | +35% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $13.3 | $15.1 | +14% |
| Transport | +25% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.06 | $2.68 | +30% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $92.2 | $122 | +32% |
| Taxi, base fare | $2.93 | $3.68 | +26% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.58 | $1.86 | +18% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.68 | $0.87 | +28% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $22,095 | $26,442 | +20% |
| Dining out | +15% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $20 | $22.6 | +13% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $85 | $107 | +26% |
| Fast food combo meal | $9.59 | $11.9 | +24% |
| Cappuccino | $4.65 | $5.18 | +11% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2 | $2.16 | +8% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.86 | $5.99 | +2% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.42 | $7.37 | +15% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.58 | $1.87 | +18% |
| Telecom | +10% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $57.6 | $63.4 | +10% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $51.1 | $55.3 | +8% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.27 | $0.31 | +15% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $12.3 | $13.3 | +8% |
| Utilities & household | +10% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $133 | $153 | +15% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.2 | $0.2 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.71 | $4.02 | +8% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.11 | $1.46 | +32% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $19.9 | $20.8 | +5% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $73.6 | $79.6 | +8% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $13.6 | $15.3 | +13% |
| Men's haircut | $29.3 | $27.1 | -8% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $22.4 | $26.6 | +19% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,832 | $2,070 | +13% |
3,043 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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