Cost of Living: Salem, OR vs Houston, TX

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,939/mo in Salem, OR versus $4,516/mo in Houston, TX. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Salem, OR versus 19.13% in Houston, TX, so Houston, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Salem, OR
$3,939/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Houston, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Salem, OR
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 Salem, OR 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: Salem, OR

Cost of Living Index

Salem, OR: 104.2 (U.S. = 100) · Houston, TX: 92.1 (U.S. = 100)

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

Median Rent

Salem, OR: $1,257/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Houston, TX: $1,248/mo

Median rent in Salem, OR is $9/mo higher than in Houston, TX.

Median Home Price

Salem, OR: $382,400 · Houston, TX: $253,400

Median home price in Salem, OR is $129,000 higher than in Houston, TX.

Median Household Income

Salem, OR: $71,900 · Houston, TX: $62,894

Salem, OR has a higher median household income than Houston, TX by $9,006.

Salem, OR overview · Houston, TX overview · Popular comparisons