Cost of living in Port Isabel 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 Port Isabel 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 Port Isabel is 82, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Port Isabel is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Port Isabel ranks as the #40 cheapest in Texas out of 414.
Port Isabel ranks as the #221 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Port Isabel is $255,422.
The median income in Port Isabel is $50,775.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Port Isabel has an overall cost of living index of 82, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Texas, Port Isabel has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Texas's index of 92.
The standard of living in Port Isabel ranks as #40 most affordable out of the 414 places we measured in Texas. By definition, that implies Port Isabel ranks as the #374 most expensive place in the Lone Star State.
For more reading on life in Port Isabel, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Port Isabel. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Port Isabel is 77.
The Groceries index in Port Isabel is 92.
The Health index in Port Isabel is 81.
The Housing index in Port Isabel is 71.
The Transportation index in Port Isabel is 84.
The Utilities index in Port Isabel is 103.
| Living Expense | Port Isabel | Texas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 82 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 77 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 92 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 81 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 71 | 82 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 84 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 103 | 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 Port Isabel is $255,422.
The Median Rent in Port Isabel is $843.
The Median Income in Port Isabel is $50,775.
The Home Value To Income in Port Isabel is 5.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Port Isabel is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Port Isabel | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $255,422 | $298,905 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $843 | $1,339 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $50,775 | $76,292 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.0x | 3.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
| Item | Port Isabel | 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 | Port Isabel | 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 | Port Isabel | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $95.94 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $109.53 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $133.27 | $113.29 |
| Item | Port Isabel | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.0 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $49.28 | $59.92 |
| Item | Port Isabel | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $196.67 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $201.86 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Port Isabel. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Brownsville, TX has a cost of living index of 78, 1.0x Port Isabel.
Harlingen, TX has a cost of living index of 76, 0.9x Port Isabel.
Weslaco, TX has a cost of living index of 79, 1.0x Port Isabel.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Port Isabel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TX | 188,023 | 78 | 1.0x |
| Harlingen, TX | 71,669 | 76 | 0.9x |
| Weslaco, TX | 41,437 | 79 | 1.0x |
| San Benito, TX | 24,677 | 71 | 0.9x |
| Donna, TX | 16,774 | 76 | 0.9x |
| Mercedes, TX | 16,449 | 75 | 0.9x |
| Raymondville, TX | 10,243 | 70 | 0.9x |
| Los Fresnos, TX | 8,174 | 79 | 1.0x |