Chula Vista sits just seven miles south of San Diego like that friend who’s way cooler than everyone realizes – offering California coastal living at prices that won’t make your retirement account curl up in the fetal position and weep.
When most Californians hear “affordable coastal living,” they assume you’re either joking or trying to sell them oceanfront property in Arizona.
But this South Bay gem has quietly become a haven for retirees who’ve discovered their Social Security checks can actually cover housing with enough left over for wild luxuries like food, utilities, and maybe even the occasional night out.
The city’s name translates to “beautiful view” in Spanish, which feels like truth in advertising once you catch sight of San Diego Bay stretching out before you without the premium pricing of its northern neighbors…