Houston - TX vs San Francisco - CA: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

San Francisco - CA is roughly 270% more expensive than Houston - TX in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in Houston - TX (45 days vs 16), suggesting more buyer leverage there. Houston - TX sees more listings with price cuts (29.0% vs 21.2%), a sign of softening seller expectations.

Houston vs San Francisco: what the numbers say

At today's 7.40% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $1,677 a month in principal and interest in Houston and $6,206 in San Francisco, a gap of $4,528 a month.

Typical rent runs $1,638 in Houston and $3,445 in San Francisco, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.0 times rent in Houston and 1.8 times rent in San Francisco, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 15.4 years of rent in Houston and 27.1 in San Francisco; the lower ratio in Houston means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -3.8% in Houston and -0.6% in San Francisco; over just the last three months the change was -0.4% in Houston and +1.4% in San Francisco.

Homes sell for 97.3% of list price in Houston and 106.1% in San Francisco, after 45 and 16 days on the market, with price cuts on 29% and 21% of listings. All three signs point the same way: buyers have more room to negotiate in Houston.

The number of homes for sale is up 3% on a year ago in Houston and down 13% on a year ago in San Francisco.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-15), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.