City comparison
Costa Mesa, CA is about 10 miles (10 km) from Tustin, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 10 miles, or about 9 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Costa Mesa, CA to Tustin, CA takes about 1 min, covering roughly 10 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Costa Mesa has a population of 111,490, vs 79,514 in Tustin — about 1.4× larger by population. By land area, Costa Mesa covers about 16 sq mi vs 11 sq mi for Tustin.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Costa Mesa | Tustin | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,268/mo | $2,205/mo | 2.9% higher in Costa Mesa |
| Median home value | $959,800 | $850,200 | 12.9% higher in Costa Mesa |
| Median household income | $104,981 | $102,065 | 2.9% higher in Costa Mesa |
| Groceries index | 106.4 | 106.4 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 155.6 | 155.6 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.4 | 104.4 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.3 | 104.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Costa Mesa, you'd need $99,862 in Tustin to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Costa Mesa and Tustin have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Costa Mesa, you'd need about $79,890 in Tustin to keep the same standard of living.