Moving from Houston to Denver
Your paycheck buys 11.3% less in Denver than in Houston; you'd need about $92,100 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Denver: $92,100
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $92,100 in Denver, CO to match $80,000 in Houston, TX ($12,100 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Texas has no state income tax on wages; Colorado does; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use Texas and Colorado, their principal states. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.
Houston vs Denver: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,469 → $1,943/mo
- Median home value
- $327,400 → $631,000
- Median household income
- $81,417 → $108,046
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 98.6 → 105.8
- FEMA county-score mean
- Very high county-score mean (97.6 → 90.6 of 100)
Houston vs Denver cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Houston, TX | Denver, CO |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 98.6 | 105.8 |
| Median rent | $1,469 | $1,943 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $58,760 | $77,720 |
| Median home value | $327,400 | $631,000 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,368 | $3,910 |
| Income needed to buy | $101,503 | $167,580 |
| Median property tax | $4,750 | $3,387 |
| State income tax on $80,000 | $0 | $2,812 |
| Metro population | 7,796,182 | 3,050,512 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $80,000, rounded from Houston's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state.
- Denver, CO: Denver charges employees $5.75 a month (Occupational Privilege Tax) in months they earn $500+ working in the city.
Your yearly budget: Houston vs Denver
This fixed budget example uses $80,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.
On an $80,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $43,655 a year in Houston and $51,596 in Denver if you rent: $7,941 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $56,499 and $76,442 ($19,943 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | HoustonBefore | DenverAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $80,000, single filer | $14,890 | $18,054 | +$3,164 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,429 | $1,453 | +$24 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,776 | $2,089 | +$313 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,932 | $6,684 | -$1,248 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $17,628 | $23,316 | +$5,688 |
| Total if you rent | $43,655 | $51,596 | +$7,941 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $21,420 | $41,282 | +$19,862 |
| Property tax median home | $4,750 | $3,387 | -$1,363 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $2,251 | $2,253 | +$2 |
| Electricity state average bill | $2,051 | $1,240 | -$811 |
| Total if you buy | $56,499 | $76,442 | +$19,943 |
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. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), 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 October 29, 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 $10,894 a year in Houston and $20,978 in Denver (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).
Who moves from Houston to Denver
About 1,391 households (2,264 people) moved from the Houston metro area to the Denver metro area in 2022–2023, making Denver the #7 destination for people leaving Houston among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,100 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $116,543.
Cost to move from Houston to Denver
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $750–$3,070 |
| Moving container | $1,570–$3,850 |
| Full-service movers | $2,550–$10,130 |
Shipping a car instead of driving
Car shipping: $890–$1,310
Shipping a sedan from Houston to Denver on an open carrier costs about $890–$1,310, typically 3–7 days in transit over about 1,020 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published mainland-to-Hawaii and mainland-to-Alaska prices. Reverse ocean routes reuse those inbound prices as a proxy, not a separately sourced price for that direction. The 25% SUV and 35% enclosed-carrier uplifts are model assumptions; ocean carrier packages and vehicle charges can differ. Not a quote.
Natural hazard risk: Houston vs Denver
RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 97.6 for the Houston area and 90.6 for the Denver area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $456 vs $317 per resident; individual properties can differ.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Denver cheaper than Houston?
Overall prices in the Denver area are 7.3% higher than in Houston (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,943 vs $1,469 a month, and the median home is $631,000 vs $327,400.
What salary do I need in Denver to match $100,000 in Houston?
About $115,100 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Texas has no state income tax on wages; Colorado does. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.
How much does it cost to move from Houston to Denver?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 1,020 miles: roughly $750–$3,070 with a rental truck, $1,570–$3,850 with a container, or $2,550–$10,130 with full-service movers.
How many people move from Houston to Denver?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,391 households (2,264 people) moved from the Houston metro area to the Denver metro area, and 1,100 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Houston move
- Houston to Dallas 8,093 households
- Houston to Austin 7,107 households
- Houston to San Antonio 3,591 households
- Houston to New York 2,142 households
- Houston to Los Angeles 1,769 households
- Houston to Chicago 1,412 households
- Houston to Miami 1,291 households
- Houston to Seattle 1,139 households
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.