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Cost of living in Houston, TX

Compared with New York. Change city

$2,132a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $25,587 a year, enough to cover 13 months of the mortgage in Houston. The average commute is 5 minutes shorter each way, about 0.9 hours a week back4.

Typical home $353,995 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $1,562 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Houston skyline on a sunny day with green trees, HoustonDennis Lamberth / Unsplash
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  • Big-city lifeNFL Houston Texans, MLB Houston Astros, NBA Houston Rockets
  • Job hubTexas Medical Center and NASA Johnson Space Center

Houston at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
Houston$1,945/mo
$353,995 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
Houston$1,562/mo
About $435 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in Houston

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs65% pricier than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$131,432
  • Net move-ins from other US metros, 2024-257+7,308
Houston in a paragraph

The median listed home in Houston is $353,995 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 16% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $1,945 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,562 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 98.6, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $131,432 here.

Weather

9
  • 43.7°January low
  • 94.5°July high
  • 0.1 inSnow per year

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
Houston$353,995
52% less, a $388,005 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
Houston$169
2.9 times the space for the money

Your New York, in Houston

We're matching Houston's parks, museums, arenas and food halls to their New York counterparts. Until then, see how it works for Raleigh.

See how Houston ranks for your household

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Is Houston a good place to live?

Houston fits families who want prices 1% below the US average and homes list 16% below the US median. The main trade-off is hot summers. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Prices 1% below the US averageEveryday prices, rent included, index at 98.6 against a US average of 100.BEA regional price parities, 2024
  • Homes list 16% below the US median$353,995 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
  • Mild wintersJanuary lows average 43.7°F with 0.1 inches of snow a year.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
  • Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom IAH to JFK, LGA, EWR.Airport route page, accessed November 3, 2026
Show 2 more
  • People are moving in7,308 more people moved here from other US metros than left, July 2024 to July 2025.US Census Bureau, Vintage 2025
  • A real job marketTexas Medical Center and NASA Johnson Space CenterSlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Hot summersJuly highs average 94.5°F.NOAA 1991-2020 normals

Is Houston a good place to live? Read the full pros and cons

More on Houston and Texas

Show 5 links

Houston cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in Houston, TX?

The median listed home in Houston is $353,995 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 16% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $1,945 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,562 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 98.6, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $131,432 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to Houston?

The median listed home is $353,995 in Houston against $742,000 in the New York metro, 52% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $2,132 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in Houston?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the Houston metro is $1,562 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $435 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in Houston matches $150,000 in New York?

$131,432. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (98.6 in Houston, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does Houston pay you to move there?

None of the relocation incentive programs we track cover Houston as of October 2026.

What is the weather like in Houston?

January lows average 43.7°F and July highs 94.5°F, with 0.1 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Houston Intercontinental Airport).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Net move-ins: Census Vintage 2025, via Regions Financial.
  8. 8Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  9. 9Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Houston Intercontinental Airport.
Sources for this page