Houston, TX Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Houston, TX Summary

Cost of living in Houston 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 Houston 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 Houston is 95, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Houston is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Houston ranks as the #269 cheapest in Texas out of 405.

  • Houston ranks as the #2,449 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Houston is $200,700.

  • The median income in Houston is $56,019.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
95
Houston's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Houston, TX?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Houston has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Texas, Houston has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Texas's index of 92.

The standard of living in Houston ranks as #269 most affordable out of the 405 places we measured in Texas. By definition, that implies Houston ranks as the #136 most expensive place in the Lone Star State.

For more reading on life in Houston, check out:

269 out of 405
In Texas
2,449 out of 6,412
In America

Houston Cost Of Living Vs. Texas

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Houston. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Houston is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Houston is 93.

  • The Health index in Houston is 100.

  • The Housing index in Houston is 83.

  • The Transportation index in Houston is 94.

  • The Utilities index in Houston is 111.

Living Expense Houston Texas National Average
Overall 95 92 100
Services 101 96 100
Groceries 93 93 100
Health 100 93 100
Housing 83 84 100
Transportation 94 92 100
Utilities 111 104 100
For more reading on cost of living around Texas, check out:
Houston Cost of Living Vs. TX

Houston, TX Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Houston is $200,700.

  • The Median Rent in Houston is $1,136.

  • The Median Income in Houston is $56,019.

  • The Home Value To Income in Houston is 3.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Houston is 0.24x.

Statistic Houston Texas United States
Median Home Value $200,700 $202,600 $244,900
Median Rent $1,136 $1,146 $1,163
Median Income $56,019 $67,321 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.6x 3.0x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Houston, TX
$200,700
Median Home Value
$1,136
Median Rent
$56,019
Median Income

Houston, TX Costs By Category

Detailed Houston Services Costs Vs. Texas

Item Houston Texas
Shampoo $0.96 $1.06
Movie $9.78 $10.68
Bowling $20.8 $14.67
Haircut $19.27 $18.62
Beauty Salon $61.37 $39.05

Detailed Houston Groceries Costs Vs. Texas

Item Houston Texas
Ground Beef $4.05 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.13 $1.39
Milk $1.58 $2.05
Potatoes $2.87 $3.29
Pizza $9.65 $10.62
Beer $9.84 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.25 $2.34

Detailed Houston Health Costs Vs. Texas

Item Houston Texas
Optometrist $119.84 $108.57
Doctor $88.11 $116.17
Dentist $111.03 $99.13

Detailed Houston Transportation Costs Vs. Texas

Item Houston Texas
Gasoline $1.92 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.85 $50.07

Detailed Houston Utilities Costs Vs. Texas

Item Houston Texas
All Electricity $199.99 $167.67
Phone $183.98 $175.64

Houston SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
8
Affordability
5
Diversity
10
Safety
3
Amenities
9.5
Education
7
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Houston

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Houston. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Pearland, TX has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Houston.

  • Sugar Land, TX has a cost of living index of 117, 1.2x Houston.

  • Atascocita, TX has a cost of living index of 102, 1.1x Houston.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Houston
Pearland, TX 122,609 102 1.1x
Sugar Land, TX 110,272 117 1.2x
Atascocita, TX 84,222 102 1.1x
Mission Bend, TX 38,772 97 1.0x
Deer Park, TX 34,240 97 1.0x
Fresno, TX 23,921 96 1.0x
Bellaire, TX 17,262 173 1.8x
West University Place, TX 14,975 195 2.1x
Four Corners, TX 11,133 101 1.1x
Galena Park, TX 10,770 84 0.9x

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