Cost of living in Houston: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Houston is 1.4% under the US average, based on a 2024 BEA regional price parity (RPP) of 98.6 for the Houston, TX metro area, where the US stands at 100 and housing reaches 104.5.
- Level of prices
- 98.6US = 100, BEA 2024
- Level of housing prices
- 104.5. For rents, US = 100.
Index of the cost of living in Houston
A regional price parity compares the cost of the same goods and services in one place with the US average, which is set at 100. Houston lies in the metro area of Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, which BEA prices as a single region. Utilities show the widest gap from the US average, with an index of 95.3, or 4.7% below the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Houston, TX metro | Texas | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 98.6 | 97.1 | −1.4% |
| Goods | 100.6 | 98.1 | +0.6% |
| Housing (rents) | 104.5 | 96.5 | +4.5% |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 87.5 | −4.7% |
| Other services | 95.6 | 97.1 | −4.4% |
The 2024 regional price parities for metro areas and states come from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). BEA regional price parities
Houston rental prices
Houston's typical asking rent is $1,544 monthly, according to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). This covers homes listed now and is −0.1% over a year. The US figure is $1,932. Census reports median gross rent of $1,408, covering all renting households rather than new leases alone. Paying the asking rent for one year takes 29% of the median household income.
| Rent | Houston | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,544 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | −0.1% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,408 | $1,487 |
| Asking rent for one year as a share of median income | 29% | 28% |
Data come from the Zillow Observed Rent Index and one-year estimates in the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024.
Houston home prices
The Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) placed a typical Houston home at $259,465 in September 2026. It measures a typical home's value in the middle of the market. The annual change was −2.1%, compared with $366,157 for the US. A typical home costs 4.0 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 years in the US.
| Home prices | Houston | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $259,465 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −2.1% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +54.3% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 4.0 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 14.0 | 15.8 |
The Houston housing market data includes a price chart since 2000, a forecast, and days on market.
What salary you need to live in Houston
Where you live and what you earn are the two questions behind the Houston salary that buys what your pay buys today.
- Moving from
- Salary
The side-by-side city comparison explains the method and covers every city.
Moving to Houston? Compare moving quotes on Moving.com, a mover-quote service; we are not paid for this link.
Houston cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | A typical rent | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| San Antonio | 94.7 | 94.6 | $1,381 | $244,623 |
| Dallas | 103.1 | 117.9 | $1,604 | $303,442 |
| Austin | 98.1 | 120.4 | $1,571 | $491,960 |
| El Paso | 89.9 | 71.2 | $1,508 | $237,556 |
| Corpus Christi | 92.7 | 84.9 | $1,422 | $222,115 |
| Lubbock | 91.3 | 76.4 | $1,315 | $210,957 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
The 2024 BEA regional price parities set the US price level at 100. Rent source: Zillow ZORI. The home value data are from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
Every city ranked: city cost of living comparison. Every state is covered here: state-by-state cost of living.