2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Houston, TX vs Austin, TX

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Austin or is it cheaper to live in Houston?
- Austin is 33.2% more expensive than Houston.

Which city has more affordable housing, Austin or Houston?
- Austin housing costs are 150.7% more expensive than Houston housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Houston or is Health Care more affordable in Austin.
- Health related expenses are 6.8% more in Austin.
 Houston, TXAustin, TXUnited States
 Overall  Unlock129.1100
 Food & Groceries98.1  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock101.6100
 Housing75.4  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$577,400$338,100
 Utilities97  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock109.9100
 Miscellaneous105.9  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Houston    371 Reviews

Over 3 years ago

I moved to Houston from the San Francisco Bay area in 1991 after college but I have always had family here. Houston is not what you think of when you think of Texas  More

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Over 3 years ago

There's definitely lots of jobs/economic opportunity. It's quite racially diverse if that's your thing. Houston has awful urban sprawl. Expect awful traffic. Hot as hell  More

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Over 3 years ago

There's definitely lots of jobs/economic opportunity. It's quite racially diverse if that's your thing. Houston has awful urban sprawl. Expect awful traffic. Hot as hell  More

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Reviews for Austin    449 Reviews

Over 1 years ago

Good place to visit.  More

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Austin is too expensive. Let's get that out of the way. Other than that it is a fun city. Ladybird Lake makes the city, imo. The ability to stand up paddle, kayak, walk  More

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The city continues to grow quickly, which a lot of people don't like. I get it, you fall in love with a city, and it's growing so fast that you don't recognize the same  More

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