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Compare Cost of Living

Select two U.S. metro areas to compare their Regional Price Parity (RPP) indices for goods, services, and housing, plus salary equivalents.

Chicago vs Houston

Houston is 4.8% less expensive than Chicago. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, national average = 100.

Metro A
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
103.6
Overall RPP
107.3
Goods
83.6
Services
112.0
Rents
Metro B
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
98.6
Overall RPP
100.6
Goods
95.3
Services
104.5
Rents

Category Breakdown

Category Chicago Houston Diff (B−A)
Overall Cost 103.6 98.6 -5.0
Goods 107.3 100.6 -6.6
Services 83.6 95.3 +11.7
Rents/Housing 112.0 104.5 -7.5

Visual Comparison

Overall Cost Lower than Chicago
Chicago
103.6
Houston
98.6
Goods Lower than Chicago
Chicago
107.3
Houston
100.6
Services Higher than Chicago
Chicago
83.6
Houston
95.3
Rents/Housing Lower than Chicago
Chicago
112.0
Houston
104.5

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

What you would need to earn in Houston to match your purchasing power in Chicago:

Salary in Chicago Equivalent in Houston Difference
$50,000 $47,603 $2,397
$75,000 $71,405 $3,595
$100,000 $95,206 $4,794
$150,000 $142,809 $7,191

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

Metric Chicago Houston
Population 9,359,555 7,274,714
Median Household Income $88,850 $80,458
Data Year 2024 2024
State IL TX

Key Differences

Overall Cost: Chicago is 5.0 points cheaper than Houston (103.6 vs 98.6).

Goods: Chicago is 6.6 points cheaper than Houston (107.3 vs 100.6).

Services: Houston is 11.7 points pricier than Chicago (83.6 vs 95.3).

Rents/Housing: Chicago is 7.5 points cheaper than Houston (112.0 vs 104.5).

⇆ Reverse comparison Chicago details → Houston details →

Also Compare Chicago With

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria vs Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington vs Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houston more expensive than Chicago? ▼
Houston is 4.8% less expensive than Chicago. The overall cost index is 98.6 vs 103.6 (national average = 100).
What salary in Houston is equivalent to $100K in Chicago? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $95,206 in Houston, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Chicago and Houston? ▼
Housing/rents in Chicago are indexed at 112.0 while Houston is at 104.5 (national average = 100). Chicago has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Chicago or Houston? ▼
Chicago is larger by population. Chicago has 9,359,555 residents vs 7,274,714 in Houston.

Explore More Data

Salary Calculator → Cost Rankings → All Metros → Rent Data → Salary Data → Relocation Guide →

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area Index where U.S. average = 100