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

Houston vs Phoenix

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

Metro A
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
98.6
Overall RPP
100.6
Goods
95.3
Services
104.5
Rents
Metro B
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ
103.3
Overall RPP
95.0
Goods
93.3
Services
121.2
Rents

Category Breakdown

Category Houston Phoenix Diff (B−A)
Overall Cost 98.6 103.3 +4.7
Goods 100.6 95.0 -5.6
Services 95.3 93.3 -2.0
Rents/Housing 104.5 121.2 +16.7

Visual Comparison

Overall Cost Higher than Houston
Houston
98.6
Phoenix
103.3
Goods Lower than Houston
Houston
100.6
Phoenix
95.0
Services Lower than Houston
Houston
95.3
Phoenix
93.3
Rents/Housing Higher than Houston
Houston
104.5
Phoenix
121.2

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

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

Salary in Houston Equivalent in Phoenix Difference
$50,000 $52,376 +$2,376
$75,000 $78,564 +$3,564
$100,000 $104,752 +$4,752
$150,000 $157,128 +$7,128

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

Metric Houston Phoenix
Population 7,274,714 4,941,206
Median Household Income $80,458 $84,703
Data Year 2024 2024
State TX AZ

Key Differences

Overall Cost: Phoenix is 4.7 points pricier than Houston (98.6 vs 103.3).

Goods: Houston is 5.6 points cheaper than Phoenix (100.6 vs 95.0).

Services: Houston is 2.0 points cheaper than Phoenix (95.3 vs 93.3).

Rents/Housing: Phoenix is 16.7 points pricier than Houston (104.5 vs 121.2).

⇆ Reverse comparison Houston details → Phoenix details →

Also Compare Houston With

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria vs Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Phoenix more expensive than Houston? ▼
Phoenix is 4.8% more expensive than Houston. The overall cost index is 103.3 vs 98.6 (national average = 100).
What salary in Phoenix is equivalent to $100K in Houston? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Houston has the same purchasing power as $104,752 in Phoenix, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Houston and Phoenix? ▼
Housing/rents in Houston are indexed at 104.5 while Phoenix is at 121.2 (national average = 100). Phoenix has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Houston or Phoenix? ▼
Houston is larger by population. Houston has 7,274,714 residents vs 4,941,206 in Phoenix.

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