Cost of Living: Boston, MA vs Houston, TX
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Boston, MA versus $4,516/mo in Houston, TX. In the model, rent is about 30.5% of gross in Boston, MA versus 19.13% in Houston, TX, so Houston, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Boston, MA and Houston, TX.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Houston, TX
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Houston, TX
- Lower home prices: Houston, TX
- Higher median household income: Boston, MA
Cost of Living Index
Boston, MA: 156.3 (U.S. = 100) · Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100)
Houston, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Boston, MA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Boston, MA: $1,989/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Houston, TX: $1,248/mo
Median rent in Boston, MA is $741/mo higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Home Price
Boston, MA: $710,400 · Houston, TX: $253,400
Median home price in Boston, MA is $457,000 higher than in Houston, TX.
Median Household Income
Boston, MA: $94,755 · Houston, TX: $62,894
Boston, MA has a higher median household income than Houston, TX by $31,861.
Boston, MA overview · Houston, TX overview · Popular comparisons