PlainCost
Home /

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.

Los Angeles vs Houston

Houston is 13.2% less expensive than Los Angeles. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, national average = 100.

Metro A
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
113.6
Overall RPP
106.6
Goods
158.6
Services
170.4
Rents
Metro B
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
98.6
Overall RPP
100.6
Goods
95.3
Services
104.5
Rents

Category Breakdown

Category Los Angeles Houston Diff (B−A)
Overall Cost 113.6 98.6 -14.9
Goods 106.6 100.6 -6.0
Services 158.6 95.3 -63.3
Rents/Housing 170.4 104.5 -65.9

Visual Comparison

Overall Cost Lower than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
113.6
Houston
98.6
Goods Lower than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
106.6
Houston
100.6
Services Lower than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
158.6
Houston
95.3
Rents/Housing Lower than Los Angeles
Los Angeles
170.4
Houston
104.5

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

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

Salary in Los Angeles Equivalent in Houston Difference
$50,000 $43,424 $6,576
$75,000 $65,135 $9,865
$100,000 $86,847 $13,153
$150,000 $130,271 $19,729

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

Metric Los Angeles Houston
Population 13,012,469 7,274,714
Median Household Income $93,525 $80,458
Data Year 2024 2024
State CA TX

Key Differences

Overall Cost: Los Angeles is 14.9 points cheaper than Houston (113.6 vs 98.6).

Goods: Los Angeles is 6.0 points cheaper than Houston (106.6 vs 100.6).

Services: Los Angeles is 63.3 points cheaper than Houston (158.6 vs 95.3).

Rents/Housing: Los Angeles is 65.9 points cheaper than Houston (170.4 vs 104.5).

⇆ Reverse comparison Los Angeles details → Houston details →

Also Compare Los Angeles With

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Chicago-Naperville-Elgin 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 Los Angeles? ▼
Houston is 13.2% less expensive than Los Angeles. The overall cost index is 98.6 vs 113.6 (national average = 100).
What salary in Houston is equivalent to $100K in Los Angeles? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Los Angeles has the same purchasing power as $86,847 in Houston, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Los Angeles and Houston? ▼
Housing/rents in Los Angeles are indexed at 170.4 while Houston is at 104.5 (national average = 100). Los Angeles has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Los Angeles or Houston? ▼
Los Angeles is larger by population. Los Angeles has 13,012,469 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