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 | Houston | Monroe | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,235/mo | $790/mo | 56.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $235,000 | $158,200 | 48.5% higher in A |
| Median household income | $60,440 | $36,550 | 65.4% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 99.8 | 95.2 | 4.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 98.7 | 79.0 | 24.9% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 96.1 | 97.2 | 1.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.2 | 95.4 | 1.3% lower 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 Houston, you'd need $74,950 in Monroe to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Monroe, LA is about 25.1% cheaper overall than Houston, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 52% lower in Monroe than in Houston. If you earn $80,000 in Houston, you'd need about $59,960 in Monroe to keep the same standard of living.