I moved from California to Texas for a fresh start. It was much more affordable there, but I was still unhappy and moved back. Priscila Barros regretted leaving California for Texas, so she moved back. Courtesy of Priscila Barros In 2021, single mom Priscila Barros left California for Houston, seeking a lower cost of living. Barros bought a cheaper home, but Houston's heat and traffic left her unimpressed and homesick. In 2025, she returned to California with her children and said it was the best decision. This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Priscila Barros, 41, who works in social media and freelance marketing. In 2021, Barros moved from California to Texas with her three children; she returned to California in 2025. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. I was living in Murrieta, California, about an hour and a half from Los Angeles. At the time, I was separating from my partner, and as a mother of three boys , moving to a more affordable place made a lot of sense.…