Cost of Living: Phoenix, AZ vs Houston, TX
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,370/mo in Phoenix, AZ versus $4,516/mo in Houston, TX. In the model, rent is about 21.24% of gross in Phoenix, AZ 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 Phoenix, AZ 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: Phoenix, AZ
Cost of Living Index
Phoenix, AZ: 102.4 (U.S. = 100) · Houston, TX: 92.1 (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
Phoenix, AZ: $1,385/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Houston, TX: $1,248/mo
Median rent in Phoenix, AZ is $137/mo higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Home Price
Phoenix, AZ: $381,900 · Houston, TX: $253,400
Median home price in Phoenix, AZ is $128,500 higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Household Income
Phoenix, AZ: $77,041 · Houston, TX: $62,894
Phoenix, AZ has a higher median household income than Houston, TX by $14,147.
Phoenix, AZ overview · Houston, TX overview · Popular comparisons