Cost of living in Brownsville research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Brownsville is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Texas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Brownsville is 78, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Brownsville is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Brownsville ranks as the #15 cheapest in Texas out of 414.
Brownsville ranks as the #46 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Brownsville is $190,038.
The median income in Brownsville is $48,675.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Brownsville has an overall cost of living index of 78, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Texas, Brownsville has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Texas's index of 92.
The standard of living in Brownsville ranks as #15 most affordable out of the 414 places we measured in Texas. By definition, that implies Brownsville ranks as the #399 most expensive place in the Lone Star State.
For more reading on life in Brownsville, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Brownsville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Brownsville is 76.
The Groceries index in Brownsville is 94.
The Health index in Brownsville is 83.
The Housing index in Brownsville is 58.
The Transportation index in Brownsville is 84.
The Utilities index in Brownsville is 102.
| Living Expense | Brownsville | Texas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 78 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 76 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 94 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 83 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 58 | 82 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 84 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 102 | 104 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Texas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Brownsville is $190,038.
The Median Rent in Brownsville is $906.
The Median Income in Brownsville is $48,675.
The Home Value To Income in Brownsville is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Brownsville is 0.22x.
| Statistic | Brownsville | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $190,038 | $298,905 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $906 | $1,339 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $48,675 | $76,292 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.9x | 3.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.22x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
| Item | Brownsville | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.22 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.97 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $16.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $22.42 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $48.58 | $45.56 |
| Item | Brownsville | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.53 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.61 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.68 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.98 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.42 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.43 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.62 | $3.7 |
| Item | Brownsville | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $95.94 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $109.53 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $133.27 | $113.29 |
| Item | Brownsville | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.0 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $49.28 | $59.92 |
| Item | Brownsville | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $196.67 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $201.86 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Brownsville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Edinburg, TX has a cost of living index of 87, 1.1x Brownsville.
Pharr, TX has a cost of living index of 82, 1.1x Brownsville.
Harlingen, TX has a cost of living index of 76, 1.0x Brownsville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Brownsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburg, TX | 102,561 | 87 | 1.1x |
| Pharr, TX | 79,809 | 82 | 1.1x |
| Harlingen, TX | 71,669 | 76 | 1.0x |
| Weslaco, TX | 41,437 | 79 | 1.0x |
| San Benito, TX | 24,677 | 71 | 0.9x |
| Alamo, TX | 20,008 | 79 | 1.0x |
| Donna, TX | 16,774 | 76 | 1.0x |
| Mercedes, TX | 16,449 | 75 | 1.0x |
| Raymondville, TX | 10,243 | 70 | 0.9x |
| Los Fresnos, TX | 8,174 | 79 | 1.0x |