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Cost of Living in Houston
Summary about cost of living in Houston:
- Four-person family monthly costs: 2,956.93$ without rent (using our estimator).
- A single person monthly costs: 830.91$ without rent.
- Cost of living index in Houston is 26.48% lower than in New York.
- Cost of living rank 191st out of 519 cities in the world.
- Houston has a cost of living index of 73.52.
| Restaurants | [ Edit ] | Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal, Inexpensive Restaurant | 14.50 $ | |
| Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant, Three-course | 48.00 $ | |
| McMeal at McDonalds (or Equivalent Combo Meal) | 7.00 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (1 pint draught) | 4.00 $ | |
| Imported Beer (11.2 oz small bottle) | 5.00 $ | |
| Cappuccino (regular) | 3.96 $ | |
| Coke/Pepsi (11.2 oz small bottle) | 1.72 $ | |
| Water (11.2 oz small bottle) | 1.27 $ | |
| Markets | [ Edit ] | |
| Milk (regular), (1 gallon) | 2.78 $ | |
| Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) | 2.20 $ | |
| Rice (white), (1 lb) | 2.05 $ | |
| Eggs (regular) (12) | 2.59 $ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 5.17 $ | |
| Chicken Breasts (Boneless, Skinless), (1 lb) | 3.90 $ | |
| Beef Round (1 lb) (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) | 5.87 $ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 1.88 $ | |
| Banana (1 lb) | 0.54 $ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.75 $ | |
| Tomato (1 lb) | 1.54 $ | |
| Potato (1 lb) | 1.23 $ | |
| Onion (1 lb) | 0.84 $ | |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 1.49 $ | |
| Water (1.5 liter bottle) | 1.76 $ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 12.00 $ | |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) | 2.17 $ | |
| Imported Beer (11.2 oz small bottle) | 2.70 $ | |
| Pack of Cigarettes (Marlboro) | 7.00 $ | |
| Transportation | [ Edit ] | |
| One-way Ticket (Local Transport) | 1.25 $ | |
| Monthly Pass (Regular Price) | 46.38 $ | |
| Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) | 3.00 $ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Normal Tariff) | 2.20 $ | |
| Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) | 24.00 $ | |
| Gasoline (1 gallon) | 2.10 $ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.4 90 KW Trendline (Or Equivalent New Car) | 20,000.00 $ | |
| Toyota Corolla 1.6l 97kW Comfort (Or Equivalent New Car) | 19,286.05 $ | |
| Utilities (Monthly) | [ Edit ] | |
| Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment | 147.66 $ | |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local (No Discounts or Plans) | 0.17 $ | |
| Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | 57.81 $ | |
| Sports And Leisure | [ Edit ] | |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | 35.38 $ | |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour on Weekend) | 14.86 $ | |
| Cinema, International Release, 1 Seat | 11.00 $ | |
| Childcare | [ Edit ] | |
| Preschool (or Kindergarten), Private, Monthly for 1 Child | 933.08 $ | |
| International Primary School, Yearly for 1 Child | 20,166.67 $ | |
| Clothing And Shoes | [ Edit ] | |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar) | 40.09 $ | |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, H&M, ...) | 33.54 $ | |
| 1 Pair of Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 72.02 $ | |
| 1 Pair of Men Leather Business Shoes | 94.59 $ | |
| Rent Per Month | [ Edit ] | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre | 1,373.56 $ | |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre | 916.20 $ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre | 2,501.07 $ | |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre | 1,557.65 $ | |
| Buy Apartment Price | [ Edit ] | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 175.63 $ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 97.85 $ | |
| Salaries And Financing | [ Edit ] | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 4,121.54 $ | |
| Mortgage Interest Rate in Percentages (%), Yearly | 3.80 |
Prices in Houston, Texas
These data are based on 2275 entries in the past 18 months from 313 different contributors.
Last update: October 2017
Last update: October 2017
Sources and References:
No sources and references provided yet.
No sources and references provided yet.
52 Comments so far
Houston is a mad city.
The harsh reality is that Houston is only cheaper than other American cities if you choose to live in a ghetto that is occupied by gangs and shop only at budget stores whose products are of questionable quality at best.
The crime rate is horrible and getting worse each year, there is a ton of racism (not just from White people), the city is infested with illegal immigrants that not only steal menial jobs (which is why Houston has so many homeless and unemployed young people), but also make up the majority of gang members including MS-13, which operates in Houston and makes a habit of targeting random people.
The roads are poorly maintained with countless potholes and broken traffic signals. The drivers act like there are no traffic laws and road rage shootings are alarmingly common. Although many people say that Houston police are corrupt and incompetent, the reality is that the Houston Police Department is no more corrupt or racist than any either police force in the US. They are just simply under-resourced and vastly outnumbered by the criminal gangs.
Drivers on the highway are out of control. Road rage and drivers shooting people -as they are driving- is not an unheard situation.
Poverty and all that comes with it -is about 70% of Houston. Before coming watch the local Houston news on your computer.
I used to love it until I came out of my bubble. Now it is disturbing.
I have had great experiences with Mexican people- legal-illegal- who cares. Most family oriented people want to work and provide a better life for their families. I can respect that in all people. It's the filth and illegal activity that gets to me.
So if you can find a bubble for your family- just stay inside - don't look out.
I seriously want to fly away from here. Some locals can call me Yankee and Ching Chang Chong all they want, but it won't change their old-fashioned racist ways.
If you want to live a city that has genuinely good job opportunities (for Americans), low crime, tolerant people, little pollution, a nice climate, and nice neighborhoods then stay as far away from Houston as you can!
However, if you like taxes, you'll love Texas!
Thank for all your efforts made to keep that city a very welcoming place for the world ...
Thanks
Elong
Thank for all your efforts made to keep that city a very welcoming place for the world ...
Thanks
Elong
If you project antagonistic or entitlement deserving attitudes- not exactly the most pleasant way to be. most jobs embrace hard work, diligence and team work. Most neighborhoods rely on a good neighbor attitude. So go live in Paris, London, NYC, Moscow or Dubai- I'm sure there aren't bunches of racist pr***s in other parts of the world. Sometimes people reap what they sow.
you are at a high risk of getting killed in Houston, don't put yourself and your family through that.
1) Price/sq ft to "Buy Apartment Outside of Centre" is closer to cost for Townhouse or Cheap Condo, to buy Apartments or Plexes here is definitely under $60/sqft..not $120.
2) Rent 1 bedroom or 3 bedrooms outside of centre (Houston has multiple major CBDs) - the cost shown is more for luxury apartment/condo prices or inner loop prices. away from CBDs, you can rent nice 4 bedroom homes for cheaper than $1600 or get a decent 3bedroom apt for $800-$1300...you can get a 4 bedroom apt in Memorial or Midtown for less than $1500. the stated $1635.11 on here is a joke.
3) Tennis court rental $21/hr? city/county courts are free..max rate is $7 weekend reserved court for Tournaments and leagues. Woodlands resort is only $12/hr for outdoor courts. Most private community and hoa courts are free for residents to reserve. Where is this $21/hr avg?
some of the other categories are off, by not by as much.. there is some serious number flubbing there.
To answer your question for cost of living:
If you live in apartment on the east side of houston, 2 bed room( would be good with kids), which would be 1000-1200$ with 1 year lease. Indian groceries 100-200$, other groceries 100-150$, electricity 50-150$ usually less than 100$ all the time except peak summer, drinking water and water usage combined 50$(in Houston it is recommended to drink bottled water), gas very cheap 50-100$ per month, phone 100$ for two, internet 30$ for first year (50$ second year onwards), netflix and yupptv 30$.
Public transportation is not that great. I think used car would be better to save lot of time in waiting.
So, it comes max would be ~$2000 and minimum would be ~1600 without any auto loan. So Rent and Auto loan are major players.
This is without medical expenses and kids expenses. Family insurance add another $500 per month.
Hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything else
Trans
I planned to further study at University Houston by end of this year for 1 year program. Can anybody recommend the cost of living will look like. As I need to bring my wife and 2 years old son.
how is the medical field out there? how are the school for elemetary and day cares?
the weather? i know this will be a BIG move coming from CALIFORNIA to TEXAS but i can adjust the traffic to me cant be as bad as take a 2 hour trip to San Fransico. stuck in traffice on a bridge (should only take about 45 mins with no traffic. other than the traffic i would liek to know about the night life the shopping housing prices and child friendly things to do. also how is the work field there not just medical field but other fields as well. any suggestions?
If you live here, you will want (and need) a car. We have public transportation but it's not a preferred method of travel. We are still a big Oil & Gas industry city. As such, tiny cars are not really a cultural focus. It is not uncommon to see very large trucks, vans and SUVs with only 1 person in each stacked up and down the busiest streets during rush hour traffic. I'm a rare sight in my suburb because I do not own a pick up or an SUV. It is far more common to see 2+ of these vehicles parked at almost every home or in almost every parking spot at the grocery store.
People here are like people everywhere: some are nice and some aren't. For the most part, we're a very live and let live group of people. Our suburbs have many churches. (enough that you could visit a different one each Sunday for over a year) We have mosques. We have parts of town where the street signs are written in multiple languages. We are (generally) conservative in our political views on federal spending. Beyond that, gay, black, white, asian, hispanic, whatever---we tend to live well amongst each other. There is crime. Be mindful of your purse's location. Generally, the crime is linked to drug usage.
Come for the jobs, suffer our humidity and stay for the TexMex food. It's the thing my friends miss most when they leave.
The crime in "what I will call East Texas" is horrible. It really began to rise after Katrina and it's been getting worse every since. I actually get tears in my eyes now when I watch the news, it's scary as hell. Do youself a favor, look elsewhere!
A Native Texan
Moving there from Australia
Can anyone recommend a nice suburb to move to?
For a young couple about to start a family.
My company is offering me a relocation to Houston with a local contract. I would like to know how would be the costs for having a car including gas, insurance and other taxes that i should consider.
Also I would like to know how is the costs for living in the Woodlands where my company is located.
Thanks a lot.
thanks
Hi guys .
I am moving to houston for an education program. My first visit will be 3.months starting from february. Any clues how much do i need to spend for living during these 3.months considering the minimum of everything ?
I don't know many apartments that rent for 3 months, especially if you're looking for a furnished arrangement. I used to live at the Texas Medical Center at the Camden Vanderbilt, many of my neighbors were patients who flew in for treatments, residents or fellows who were doing their residency - they were paying $3,000/month furnished for a 1 bedroom in 2008 on a month-to-month basis. Rents have gone up SIGNIFICANTLY in the past 3 years and I wouldn't be surprise if it's at least $4,000/month now.
We own a 3 story-3 beds, 3.5 baths, 2 car garage east of downtown and rented our first floor bedroom out to an Exxon Mobil intern last year for $1,200/month for 3 months. We listed on Craigslist. You might get some luck looking for such arrangements on Craigslist (under room wanted section) or airbnb. Ours is not available this year. Good luck.
Hi, im from San Diego think about relocating to Houston.my question is with city ( Houston, Austin, or Dallas)is better.
Hi Leo, these 3 cities are very different. I have only been to Dallas for business - expect long commute if you live far from town both in Houston and Austin. Austin's infrastructure can only accommodate 30% of its current population.
-Houston is more diverse, both demographically and economically. Houston also has a larger Asian population as well. It is more humid and also hotter in the summer. Houston has many areas (with no zoning within the 610 loop). You can expect to pay between $1,200-$1,800/month for a nice apartment within the loop. You can find many run-down apartments or (far from town) below $700 but I do not recommend since they might not be safe. There really isn't much in between as developers bought the prime real estate and rebuild them to suit the higher end clienteles.
-Austin is very similar to San Diego, in my opinion. Lot more laid back, lots of hipsters, outdoor activities and the city has a collectic vibe with great music scene. Austin has received a large influx of CA residents in the recent years. Probably 30% of Austinites are less than 25 years old. Most UT graduates want to stay there but since there isn't many jobs available in entry-level positions, they end of being servers (with bad attitude). If you're in the IT sector, apps development or software related, you should be able to find a decent paying job.
-Dallas is just a pretentious city. Let me put this way, if people from San Diego are moving to Austin, Dallas are for the folks from LAs.
Hope this helps.
I am moving to houston for an education program. My first visit will be 3.months starting from february. Any clues how much do i need to spend for living during these 3.months considering the minimum of everything ?
1. Is 55k a good salary to live in Houston?
2. What neighborhoods should I look at to be close to the office (Richmond Ave)?
I am relocating from Puerto Rico, so I need all the help I can get...tx!
:)
It's big enough to have amenities, culture, libraries, etc., but a hometown feel. Cost of living is not much more than Houston, and weather is much more moderate. Those Houston summers are, well, probably like the Aussie outback.
Anyway...maybe, too, you can tell the Progressives here what the results of high taxes, etc. look like!
Sara
I'm new in Houston and I'd like to move around for the day. As I do not have insurance to rent a car (I'm from outside the US), how can I get a cheap taxi that will wait for me for about 6 hours?