City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Arlington | Houston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,297/mo | $1,235/mo | 5.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $251,300 | $235,000 | 6.9% higher in A |
| Median household income | $71,736 | $60,440 | 18.7% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 90.5 | 97.7 | 7.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 74.6 | 106.5 | 29.9% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 87.0 | 97.3 | 10.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.8 | 90.9 | 9.8% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Arlington, you'd need $95,219 in Houston to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Houston, TX is about 4.8% cheaper overall than Arlington, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 5% lower in Houston than in Arlington. If you earn $80,000 in Arlington, you'd need about $76,176 in Houston to keep the same standard of living.