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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.

Phoenix vs Houston

Houston is 4.5% less expensive than Phoenix. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, national average = 100.

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

Category Breakdown

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

Visual Comparison

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

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

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

Salary in Phoenix Equivalent in Houston Difference
$50,000 $47,732 $2,268
$75,000 $71,598 $3,402
$100,000 $95,463 $4,537
$150,000 $143,195 $6,805

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

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

Key Differences

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

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

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

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

⇆ Reverse comparison Phoenix details → Houston details →

Also Compare Phoenix 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 Houston more expensive than Phoenix? ▼
Houston is 4.5% less expensive than Phoenix. The overall cost index is 98.6 vs 103.3 (national average = 100).
What salary in Houston is equivalent to $100K in Phoenix? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Phoenix has the same purchasing power as $95,463 in Houston, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Phoenix and Houston? ▼
Housing/rents in Phoenix are indexed at 121.2 while Houston is at 104.5 (national average = 100). Phoenix has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Phoenix or Houston? ▼
Houston is larger by population. Phoenix has 4,941,206 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