Harris County · Texas
Cost of living in Houston, TX
Price levels published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis for Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, with the national average set to 100 — so 108 means things cost 8% more here than the US average.
Quick answer
Living in Houston, TX costs 1.4% below the national average — an all-items price level of 98.6. To match the buying power of a $100,000 national-average salary you would need about $98,629 here.
- All items
- 98.6US average = 100
- Housing
- 104.54.5% above the national average
- Goods
- 100.6in line with the national average
- Other services
- 95.64.4% below the national average
Price level by component
Where the difference actually comes from.
| Component | Index | vs US | What it covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goods | 100.6 | +0.6% | Groceries, fuel, clothing, durable purchases. |
| Housing | 104.5 | +4.5% | Rents and imputed rents — the biggest single swing factor. |
| Utilities | 95.3 | -4.7% | Electricity, gas, water and other household energy. |
| Other services | 95.6 | -4.4% | Healthcare, dining, repairs, personal services. |
What your salary is worth in Houston, TX
Enter a salary. We deflate it by the local price level (98.6 where 100 is the US average) and show what you would need to earn here to match the same pay somewhere average.
- Real value here
- $63,768
- Needed to match US average
- $62,032
- Monthly difference
- $-72
What a local paycheck is really worth
Nominal pay is only half the story.
The median household in Houston earns $62,894. Deflated by the local price level, that is $63,768 in national-average dollars — the BEA calls this real income, and it is simply income × 100 ÷ 98.6.
More on Houston
Same city, other datasets.
2024 BEA Regional Price Parities, published for Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX. Parities are metro-wide, so a single neighbourhood can sit well above or below these figures.