City profile
Houston, TX cost of living
TX · BLS RPP 98.8
Overall RPP
98.8
US = 100
Housing RPP
108
Housing component
Goods RPP
97.9
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,357/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Houston, TX sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#30 of 67
-1.2 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
+0.4
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#44 of 67
-249/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Houston, TX
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Houston, TX metro.
Moved in
352,669
people · 186,563 households
Moved out
315,277
people · 168,628 households
Net
+37,392
net gain of residents
Net migration rank
#3 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
+37,496
median -104 people
Largest flow share
2% in / 2% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Travis County, TX 5,358
- Bexar County, TX 4,805
- Los Angeles County, CA 4,761
- Dallas County, TX 4,484
- Tarrant County, TX 3,417
Where residents moved to
- Travis County, TX 6,198
- Dallas County, TX 4,420
- Bexar County, TX 4,269
- Tarrant County, TX 3,281
- Williamson County, TX 2,562
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Houston, TX?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Houston, TX | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $49,400 | $50,000 x (98.8/100) |
| $75,000 | $74,100 | $75,000 x (98.8/100) |
| $100,000 | $98,800 | $100,000 x (98.8/100) |
| $125,000 | $123,500 | $125,000 x (98.8/100) |
| $150,000 | $148,200 | $150,000 x (98.8/100) |
| $200,000 | $197,600 | $200,000 x (98.8/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
Texas has no state income tax. Property taxes ~2% effective rate.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Houston, TX?
- Houston, TX has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 98.8 (US average = 100). It is 1.2% less expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Houston, TX?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $98,800 in Houston, TX to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Houston, TX?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Houston, TX is approximately $1,357 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Houston, TX?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 352,669 people moved into the Houston, TX metro and 315,277 moved out — a net gain of roughly 37,392 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Travis County, TX.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Houston, TX, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Houston, TX
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