Cost of Living: Houston, TX vs Phoenix, AZ
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,516/mo in Houston, TX versus $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ. In the model, rent is about 19.13% of gross in Houston, TX versus 21.24% in Phoenix, AZ, so Houston, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Houston, TX and Phoenix, AZ.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Houston, TX
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Houston, TX
- Lower home prices: Houston, TX
- Higher median household income: Phoenix, AZ
Cost of Living Index
Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100) · Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100)
Houston, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Phoenix, AZ, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Houston, TX: $1,248/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo
Median rent in Phoenix, AZ is $137/mo higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Home Price
Houston, TX: $253,400 · Phoenix, AZ: $381,900
Median home price in Phoenix, AZ is $128,500 higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Household Income
Houston, TX: $62,894 · Phoenix, AZ: $77,041
Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Houston, TX by $14,147.
Houston, TX overview · Phoenix, AZ overview · Popular comparisons