Cost of Living: Houston, TX vs Plano, TX

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 $4,516/mo in Plano, TX. In the model, rent is about 19.13% of gross in Houston, TX versus 11.19% in Plano, TX, so Plano, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Houston, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Plano, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: above
Rent share (1BR) in Houston, TX
19.13%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Plano, TX
11.19%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Houston, TX and Plano, TX.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Houston, TX
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Plano, TX
  • Lower home prices: Plano, TX
  • Higher median household income: Houston, TX

Cost of Living Index

Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100) · Plano, TX: 104.2 (U.S. = 100)

Houston, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Plano, TX, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Houston, TX: $1,248/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Plano, TX: $730/mo

Median rent in Houston, TX is $518/mo higher than in Plano, TX.

Median Home Price

Houston, TX: $253,400 · Plano, TX: $216,000

Median home price in Houston, TX is $37,400 higher than in Plano, TX.

Median Household Income

Houston, TX: $62,894 · Plano, TX: $52,612

Houston, TX has a higher median household income than Plano, TX by $10,282.

Houston, TX overview · Plano, TX overview · Popular comparisons