Cost-of-living comparison

Before you use our tools and links to calculate your cost-of-living in greater Houston versus where you work now and other potential markets to which you are considering relocation to, read the following data to gain more knowledge and better understand how Houston compares to other markets you are considering.

Relocating from within Texas to greater Houston:
People who relocate from other areas of Texas to work and live in the greater Houston area generally save an average of 15%-20% more money than where they lived prior to relocating to Houston,

Relocating from CA, NY, NJ, CT, MA, and PA:
People who relocate to work and live in the greater Houston area from the states of California, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania generally save an average of $15,000-$25,000 more annually in the greater Houston area than where they lived prior to moving to greater Houston,

Relocating from MD, VA, D.C., DE ME, VT, RI, LA, MS, MO, AL, AR, OK, KA, NE, ND, SD, MN, WI, IL, IO, MI, OH, IN, KY, TN, and WV:
People who relocate to work and live in the greater Houston area from the states of Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., Delaware, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, and West Virginia, generally save an average of $12,000 - $17,000 more annually in the greater Houston area than where they lived prior to moving to greater Houston,

Relocating from AZ, GA, UT, CO, WY, NM, MT, ID, NV, OR, and WA:
People who relocate to work and live in the greater Houston area from the states of Arizona, Georgia, Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, New Mexico, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington State, generally save an average of $10,000 - $15,000 more annually in the greater Houston area than where they lived prior to moving to greater Houston,

Relocating from NC, SC, and FL:
People who relocate to work and live in the greater Houston area from the states of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida generally save an average of $8,000 - $12,000 more annually in the greater Houston area than where they lived prior to moving to greater Houston,

To see some examples of how greater Houston compares to other markets in the US, click on one of the three examples.

 

Example 1: New Jersey

PT 3-years work experience working in Jersey City NJ zip code 07304 moves to work in Houston, TX zip code 77054

  Jersey City Houston
Salary before tax: $85,000 $80,000
State tax: $5,950 $0
Federal tax: $26,350 $24,800
1 bedroom apartment: $16,000 $9,600
 
  Mercer Apartments, Jersey City 07304 Parque Del Oro, Houston, TX
Parking:  $1,200  $0
Food:  $6,000 $4,800
Car insurance:  $2,000 $1,000
Entertainment: $10,000 $7,000
Gas: $3,000 $2,700
Utilities: $1,800 $1,600
Cable TV:  $900 $750
Internet: $600 $500
Telephone: $600 $600
Health insurance: $4,800 $4,200
Total Cost-of-living: $79,200 $57,550
Initial Savings: $5,800 $17,450
Add Federal Tax refund $3,500 $3,500
Total Savings:  $9,300 $20,950


For this comparison, we received official price quotes from the following companies for these services:

Apartment rates: Rent.com, apartment guide.com
Parking: Rent.com
Food: Kroger and Safeway Supermarkets
Car Insurance: Geico.com
Gas: Chevron USA, Shell America
Utilities: Powertosave.com
Cable TV: Comcast, Time Warner Cable
Internet: Comcast, Time Warner Cable
Telephone: Verizon, AT&T
Health Insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield

If you would like to check these prices, click on any of the links below to conduct your own analysis.

Housing: rentals
http://www.rent.com
http://www.apartmentguide.com

Car insurance:
http://www.geico.com

Utilities:
http://www.powertosave.com

Cable TV:
http://www.comcast.com
http://www.timewarnercable.com

Internet:
http://www.comcast.com
http://www.timewarnercable.com

Telephone:
http://www.verizon.com

Health Insurance:
http://www.bluecrossblueshield.com

 

Example 2: New York

OT 3-years work experience working in Brooklyn, NY zip code 11237 moves to work in Houston, TX zip code 77054

  Brooklyn, NY Houston
Salary before tax: $85,000 $80,000
State tax: $5,950 $0
Federal tax: $26,350 $24,800
1 bedroom apartment: $18,000 $9,600
 
  345 Elder Street Apartments, Brooklyn, NY, 11237 Parque Del Oro, Houston, TX
Parking: $1,200 $0
Food: $6,600 $4,800
Car insurance: $2,300 $1,000
Entertainment: $10,000 $7,000
Gas: $3,000 $2,700
Utilities: $1,800  $1,600
Cable TV: $1,000 $750
Internet: $750 $500
Telephone: $600 $600
Health insurance: $4,800 $4,200
Total Cost-of-living: $88,300 $57,550
Initial Savings: -$3,300 $17,450
Add Federal tax refund $3,500 $3,500
Total Savings:  $200 $20,950


For this comparison, we received official price quotes from the following companies for these services:

Apartment rates: Rent.com, apartment guide.com
Parking: Rent.com
Food: Kroger and Safeway Supermarkets
Car Insurance: Geico.com
Gas: Chevron USA, Shell America
Utilities: Powertosave.com
Cable TV: Comcast, Time Warner Cable
Internet: Comcast, Time Warner Cable
Telephone: Verizon, AT&T
Health Insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield

If you would like to check these prices, click on any of the links below to conduct your own analysis.

Housing: rentals
http://www.rent.com
http://www.apartmentguide.com

Car insurance:
http://www.geico.com

Utilities:
http://www.powertosave.com

Cable TV:
http://www.comcast.com
http://www.timewarnercable.com

Internet:
http://www.comcast.com
http://www.timewarnercable.com

Telephone:
http://www.verizon.com

Health Insurance:
http://www.bluecrossblueshield.com

 

Example 3: California

PT 3-years work experience working in Daly City, CA zip code 94015 moves to work in Houston, TX zip code 77054

  Daly City, CA Houston
Salary before tax: $85,000 $80,000
State tax: $11,900 $0
Federal tax: $26,350 $24,800
1 bedroom apartment: $18,000 $9,600
 
  Avalon at Cedar Ridge Apartments, Daily City, CA, 94015 Parque Del Oro, Houston, TX
Parking: $0 $0
Food: $5,600 $4,800
Car insurance:  $2,300 $1,000
Entertainment: $10,000 $7,000
Gas: $3,300 $2,700
Utilities: $1,800 $1,600
Cable TV: $1,000 $750
Internet: $750 $500
Telephone:  $600 $600
Health insurance: $4,800 $4,200
Total Cost-of-living: $86,400 $57,550
Initial Savings: -$1,400 $17,450
Add Federal tax refund $3,500 $3,500
Total Savings:  $2,100 $20,950


For this comparison, we received official price quotes from the following companies for these services:

Apartment rates: Rent.com, apartment guide.com
Parking: Rent.com
Food: Kroger and Safeway Supermarkets
Car Insurance: Geico.com
Gas: Chevron USA, Shell America
Utilities: Powertosave.com
Cable TV: Comcast, Time Warner Cable
Internet: Comcast, Time Warner Cable
Telephone: Verizon, AT&T
Health Insurance: Blue Cross Blue Shield

If you would like to check these prices, click on any of the links below to conduct your own analysis.

Housing: rentals
http://www.rent.com
http://www.apartmentguide.com

Car insurance:
http://www.geico.com

Utilities:
http://www.powertosave.com

Cable TV:
http://www.comcast.com
http://www.timewarnercable.com

Internet:
http://www.comcast.com
http://www.timewarnercable.com

Telephone:
http://www.verizon.com

Health Insurance:
http://www.bluecrossblueshield.co