Dallas - TX vs San Diego - CA: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

San Diego - CA is roughly 159% more expensive than Dallas - TX in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Dallas - TX (38 days vs 25), suggesting more buyer leverage there. Dallas - TX sees more listings with price cuts (34.0% vs 28.8%), a sign of softening seller expectations.

Dallas vs San Diego: what the numbers say

At today's 7.24% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $1,953 a month in principal and interest in Dallas and $5,054 in San Diego, a gap of $3,101 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,659 in Dallas and $2,967 in San Diego, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.2 times rent in Dallas and 1.7 times rent in San Diego, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 18.0 years of rent in Dallas and 26.0 in San Diego; the lower ratio in Dallas means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -5.8% in Dallas and -1.8% in San Diego; over just the last three months the change was -0.1% in Dallas and +0.3% in San Diego.

Homes sell for 98.0% of list price in Dallas and 99.3% in San Diego, after 38 and 25 days on the market, with price cuts on 34% and 29% of listings. All three signs point the same way: buyers have more room to negotiate in Dallas.

The number of homes for sale is down 4% on a year ago in Dallas and down 6% on a year ago in San Diego.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-29), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.