Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX and Houston, TX 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Houston, TX is 1.0% lower than in Austin, TX (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Houston, TX is 6.6% lower than in Austin, TX | |
| Rent Prices in Houston, TX are 15.8% lower than in Austin, TX | |
| Restaurant Prices in Houston, TX are 2.6% higher than in Austin, TX | |
| Groceries Prices in Houston, TX are 3.4% lower than in Austin, TX | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Houston, TX is 3.6% lower than in Austin, TX | |
Restaurants | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 18.75 $ | 20.00 $ | +6.7 % |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 75.00 $ | 80.00 $ | +6.7 % |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 10.00 $ | 10.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 6.00 $ | 6.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 8.00 $ | 7.00 $ | -12.5 % |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 5.56 $ | 5.39 $ | -3.0 % |
| Coke/Pepsi (12 oz small bottle) | 2.78 $ | 2.66 $ | -4.3 % |
| Water (12 oz small bottle) | 2.24 $ | 2.07 $ | -7.8 % |
Markets | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 4.40 $ | 3.40 $ | -22.8 % |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 3.21 $ | 2.80 $ | -12.8 % |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 1.54 $ | 1.63 $ | +6.0 % |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 4.40 $ | 3.89 $ | -11.6 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.72 $ | 5.80 $ | +1.5 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 4.82 $ | 5.44 $ | +12.8 % |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 6.60 $ | 7.84 $ | +18.9 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.37 $ | 1.84 $ | -22.4 % |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.70 $ | 0.63 $ | -9.9 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.06 $ | 1.78 $ | -13.7 % |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 1.82 $ | 1.20 $ | -34.4 % |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.24 $ | 1.29 $ | +4.1 % |
| Onion (1 lb) | 1.32 $ | 1.06 $ | -19.4 % |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.02 $ | 1.80 $ | -10.8 % |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 2.23 $ | 2.19 $ | -2.1 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 12.71 $ | -15.2 % |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.32 $ | 2.00 $ | -14.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) | 3.43 $ | 3.78 $ | +10.0 % |
| Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro) | 9.00 $ | 10.00 $ | +11.1 % |
Transportation | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.50 $ | 1.25 $ | -16.7 % |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 43.48 $ | 75.00 $ | +72.5 % |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 4.38 $ | 3.88 $ | -11.4 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.58 $ | 3.00 $ | +16.5 % |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 35.00 $ | 30.00 $ | -14.3 % |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 2.98 $ | 2.93 $ | -1.9 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 27,450.00 $ | 32,500.00 $ | +18.4 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 26,622.95 $ | 25,429.44 $ | -4.5 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 183.62 $ | 203.65 $ | +10.9 % |
| Mobile Phone Monthly Plan with Calls and 10GB+ Data | 61.47 $ | 60.95 $ | -0.8 % |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 66.04 $ | 64.95 $ | -1.6 % |
Sports And Leisure | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 56.28 $ | 38.50 $ | -31.6 % |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 11.67 $ | 10.83 $ | -7.1 % |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 15.00 $ | 15.00 $ | 0.0 % |
Childcare | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Full Day, Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 1,351.92 $ | 1,258.33 $ | -6.9 % |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 22,093.75 $ | 18,933.33 $ | -14.3 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 55.88 $ | 48.27 $ | -13.6 % |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 45.47 $ | 43.50 $ | -4.3 % |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 85.29 $ | 101.32 $ | +18.8 % |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 111.68 $ | 129.75 $ | +16.2 % |
Rent Per Month | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 2,186.26 $ | 1,667.94 $ | -23.7 % |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 1,413.90 $ | 1,252.41 $ | -11.4 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 3,866.00 $ | 3,195.45 $ | -17.3 % |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 2,662.12 $ | 2,414.35 $ | -9.3 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 378.56 $ | 256.68 $ | -32.2 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 275.54 $ | 180.01 $ | -34.7 % |
Salaries And Financing | Austin, TX Edit |
Houston, TX Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,044.87 $ | 4,538.12 $ | -10.0 % |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly, for 20 Years Fixed-Rate | 6.49 | 6.49 | -0.1 % |
| Last update: | April 2025 | April 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 180 | 197 |
Moving to Austin, TX? Explore:
Moving to Houston, TX? Explore:
Cities near Austin, TX: | Cost of Living in San Antonio, Texas | 79.89 miles |
| Cost of Living in Waco, Texas | 101.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in Kerrville, Texas | 102.67 miles |
| Cost of Living in College Station, Texas | 106.60 miles |
| Cost of Living in Houston, Texas | 163.29 miles |
| Cost of Living in DeSoto, Texas | 183.93 miles |
| Cost of Living in De Soto, Texas | 183.94 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fort Worth, Texas | 187.07 miles |
| Cost of Living in Atascocita, Texas | 189.57 miles |
| Cost of Living in Dallas, Texas | 198.85 miles |
Cities near Houston, TX: | Cost of Living in Atascocita, Texas | 26.49 miles |
| Cost of Living in College Station, Texas | 94.28 miles |
| Cost of Living in Austin, Texas | 161.51 miles |
| Cost of Living in Waco, Texas | 184.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Antonio, Texas | 193.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in Longview, Texas | 213.57 miles |
| Cost of Living in Corpus Christi, Texas | 216.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in Dallas, Texas | 245.09 miles |
| Cost of Living in Shreveport, Louisiana | 245.18 miles |