Cost of Living: Irvine, CA vs Houston, TX
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Irvine, CA versus $4,516/mo in Houston, TX. In the model, rent is about 42.15% of gross in Irvine, CA versus 19.13% in Houston, TX, so Houston, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Irvine, CA and Houston, TX.
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: Irvine, CA
Cost of Living Index
Irvine, CA: 158.4 (U.S. = 100) · Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100)
Houston, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Irvine, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Irvine, CA: $2,749/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Houston, TX: $1,248/mo
Median rent in Irvine, CA is $1,501/mo higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Home Price
Irvine, CA: $1,115,400 · Houston, TX: $253,400
Median home price in Irvine, CA is $862,000 higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Household Income
Irvine, CA: $129,647 · Houston, TX: $62,894
Irvine, CA has a higher median household income than Houston, TX by $66,753.
Irvine, CA overview · Houston, TX overview · Popular comparisons