Moving from Austin to Houston
Your paycheck buys about the same in Houston as in Austin. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Houston: $100,600
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $100,600 in Houston, TX to match $100,000 in Austin, TX ($600 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Texas, which has no state income tax on wages; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Austin vs Houston: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,784 → $1,469/mo
- Median home value
- $482,800 → $327,400
- Median household income
- $99,897 → $81,417
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 98.1 → 98.6
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (93.9 → 97.6 of 100)
Austin vs Houston cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Austin, TX | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 98.1 | 98.6 |
| Median rent | $1,784 | $1,469 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $71,360 | $58,760 |
| Median home value | $482,800 | $327,400 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $3,319 | $2,317 |
| Income needed to buy | $142,241 | $99,308 |
| Median property tax | $6,896 | $4,750 |
| State income tax on $100,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Metro population | 2,550,637 | 7,796,182 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Austin vs Houston
On a $100,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $55,455 a year in Austin and $51,675 in Houston if you rent: $3,780 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $73,874 and $61,853 ($12,021 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | AustinBefore | HoustonAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $100,000, single filer | $20,820 | $20,820 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,965 | $1,965 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,429 | $1,429 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,901 | $1,901 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,932 | $7,932 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $21,408 | $17,628 | -$3,780 |
| Total if you rent | $55,455 | $51,675 | -$3,780 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $30,680 | $20,805 | -$9,875 |
| Property tax median home | $6,896 | $4,750 | -$2,146 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $2,251 | $2,251 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $73,874 | $61,853 | -$12,021 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $11,349 a year in Austin and $11,349 in Houston (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Austin to Houston
About 5,331 households (8,069 people) moved from the Austin metro area to the Houston metro area in 2022–2023, making Houston the #3 destination for people leaving Austin among the 149 metro areas we cover. 7,107 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $86,000.
Cost to move from Austin to Houston
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 170 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Austin vs Houston
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Austin area among the highest (score 93.9) and the Houston area among the highest (score 97.6), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $306 vs $456 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Houston cheaper than Austin?
Overall prices in the Houston area are 0.5% higher than in Austin (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,469 vs $1,784 a month, and the median home is $327,400 vs $482,800.
What salary do I need in Houston to match $100,000 in Austin?
About $100,600, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in Texas, which has no state income tax on wages.
How much does it cost to move from Austin to Houston?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 170 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Austin to Houston?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 5,331 households (8,069 people) moved from the Austin metro area to the Houston metro area, and 7,107 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Austin move
- Austin to San Antonio 6,106 households
- Austin to Dallas 5,664 households
- Austin to Killeen 2,759 households
- Austin to New York 1,472 households
- Austin to Los Angeles 1,277 households
- Austin to Denver 1,207 households
- Seattle 976 households
- Chicago 889 households