Cost of Living: Fresno, CA vs Houston, TX

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Fresno, CA versus $4,516/mo in Houston, TX. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Fresno, CA versus 19.13% in Houston, TX, so Houston, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Fresno, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Houston, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Fresno, CA
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Houston, TX
19.13%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Fresno, CA 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: Fresno, CA

Cost of Living Index

Fresno, CA: 108.5 (U.S. = 100) · Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100)

Houston, TX has a lower cost-of-living index than Fresno, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Fresno, CA: $1,258/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Houston, TX: $1,248/mo

Median rent in Fresno, CA is $10/mo higher than in Houston, TX.

Median Home Price

Fresno, CA: $348,500 · Houston, TX: $253,400

Median home price in Fresno, CA is $95,100 higher than in Houston, TX.

Median Household Income

Fresno, CA: $66,804 · Houston, TX: $62,894

Fresno, CA has a higher median household income than Houston, TX by $3,910.

Fresno, CA overview · Houston, TX overview · Popular comparisons