Cost of Living: Richmond, VA vs Houston, TX

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,181/mo in Richmond, VA versus $4,516/mo in Houston, TX. In the model, rent is about 19.15% of gross in Richmond, VA versus 19.13% in Houston, TX, so Houston, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Richmond, VA
$4,181/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Houston, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Richmond, VA
19.15%
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 Richmond, VA 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: Houston, TX

Cost of Living Index

Richmond, VA: 93.8 (U.S. = 100) · Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100)

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

Median Rent

Richmond, VA: $1,249/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Houston, TX: $1,248/mo

Median rent in Richmond, VA is $1/mo higher than in Houston, TX.

Median Home Price

Richmond, VA: $328,100 · Houston, TX: $253,400

Median home price in Richmond, VA is $74,700 higher than in Houston, TX.

Median Household Income

Richmond, VA: $62,671 · Houston, TX: $62,894

Houston, TX has a higher median household income than Richmond, VA by $223.

Richmond, VA overview · Houston, TX overview · Popular comparisons