Cost comparison
Compare rent, housing, utilities, groceries, salary needs, and move score across the city profiles currently available in LifeAtlas.
Texas
Houston is a energy, healthcare, and large metro market in Texas, useful for starter comparisons around rent, housing, utilities, wages, benefits, insurance, and moving costs.
Texas
Austin is the higher-cost Texas launch market: strong jobs and lifestyle demand make housing, utilities, insurance, and salary fit the core budget questions to verify before moving.
Comparison
Houston has the lower salary-needed estimate, while Houston has the lower starter rent. Differences are shown as Austin minus Houston.
| Metric | Houston | Austin | Difference | Advantage | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,549 | $1,567 | +$18 | Houston | Houston has the lower median rent. |
| Home price | $265,062 | $511,264 | +$246,202 | Houston | Houston has the lower home price. |
| Utilities | $420/mo | $379/mo | -$41/mo | Austin | Austin has the lower utilities. |
| Groceries index | 99 | 89 | -10 | Austin | Austin has the lower groceries index. |
| Salary needed | $61,960 | $62,680 | +$720 | Houston | Houston has the lower salary needed. |
| Move score | 81/100 | 78/100 | -3 | Houston | Houston has the higher move score. |