Cost of Living: New York vs Houston
How expensive is Houston compared with New York City? Overall prices, rent, goods, utilities and services in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area versus the New York metro area, plus the salary you’d need to live the same way.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
Where the difference comes from
Bars show each category’s price level relative to the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). Rent is usually the biggest driver.
The numbers
- Metro area
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
- Price level vs US average
- 98.6 (New York: 112.6)
- Rent vs US average
- 104.5 (New York: 148.6)
- Source
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024
Frequently asked questions
Is Houston cheaper than New York?
Yes. Houston is 12% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 88, New York = 100).
What salary in Houston equals $100,000 in New York?
About $87,621 a year buys the same standard of living in Houston as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
How do rents in Houston compare with New York?
Rents and housing costs in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area are 30% cheaper than the New York metro area (BEA, 2024).
Where does this data come from?
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for 2024, which compare the price of the same basket of goods, rents, utilities and services across US metro areas.