Cost of Living in Texas
Updated November 2026 · population 30,188,424
Texas prices are 2.9% below the US average (index 97.1), ranking 25th most expensive of 51 states and DC; utilities is the biggest saving at 87.5, and a single adult's modelled budget at state-average prices is about $2,702 a month.
Prices by category
Texas price index by category, US average = 100: All items 97.1, Housing (rents) 96.5, Goods 98.1, Utilities 87.5, Other services 97.1
| Area | All items |
|---|---|
| Texas (whole state) | 97.1 |
| Metropolitan areas of Texas | 97.9 |
| Nonmetropolitan areas of Texas | 87.8 |
Cities in Texas
Select a column heading to sort.
| Houston | 2,328,253 | 97.6 | $2,698 | $5,361 | $1,361 | $277,800 |
| San Antonio | 1,479,835 | 94.1 | $2,573 | $5,095 | $1,324 | $235,700 |
| Dallas | 1,307,930 | 101.3 | $2,890 | $5,405 | $1,472 | $320,700 |
| Austin | 979,539 | 99.3 | $3,022 | $5,758 | $1,729 | $555,300 |
| Fort Worth | 963,194 | 101.8 | $2,771 | $5,506 | $1,509 | $303,000 |
| El Paso | 680,130 | 90.7 | $2,305 | $4,763 | $1,073 | $184,500 |
| Arlington | 397,742 | 101.3 | $2,758 | $5,575 | $1,470 | $304,700 |
| Corpus Christi | 317,419 | 93.4 | $2,484 | $5,000 | $1,292 | $210,400 |
| Plano | 290,594 | 106.0 | $3,146 | $6,126 | $1,841 | $465,900 |
| Lubbock | 264,814 | 92.1 | $2,371 | $4,885 | $1,182 | $212,400 |
| Laredo | 257,619 | 88.8 | $2,190 | $4,593 | $1,030 | $193,500 |
| Irving | 256,492 | 103.2 | $2,959 | $5,710 | $1,619 | $315,600 |
| Garland | 246,844 | 103.5 | $2,864 | $5,570 | $1,641 | $270,800 |
| Frisco | 219,304 | 108.2 | $3,268 | $6,437 | $2,014 | $642,100 |
| McKinney | 210,600 | 106.8 | $3,061 | $6,127 | $1,901 | $471,800 |
| Amarillo | 201,885 | 92.2 | $2,287 | $4,827 | $1,092 | $196,900 |
| Grand Prairie | 201,883 | 103.3 | $2,901 | $5,610 | $1,629 | $295,500 |
| Brownsville | 189,177 | 88.2 | $2,157 | $4,496 | $923 | $139,900 |
| Killeen | 158,159 | 92.1 | $2,250 | $4,766 | $1,208 | $215,400 |
| Denton | 152,866 | 100.6 | $2,730 | $5,584 | $1,420 | $348,200 |
| Pasadena | 149,433 | 95.7 | $2,545 | $5,190 | $1,213 | $209,600 |
| Mesquite | 149,299 | 101.8 | $2,731 | $5,491 | $1,513 | $245,700 |
| McAllen | 145,385 | 89.1 | $2,176 | $4,723 | $1,049 | $190,400 |
| Waco | 143,570 | 92.8 | $2,363 | $4,856 | $1,165 | $221,700 |
| Midland | 136,640 | 96.4 | $2,641 | $5,579 | $1,434 | $319,200 |
| Carrollton | 133,740 | 104.7 | $3,078 | $5,983 | $1,735 | $381,000 |
| Lewisville | 131,080 | 103.8 | $2,962 | $5,947 | $1,670 | $378,500 |
| Abilene | 128,053 | 91.6 | $2,315 | $4,908 | $1,157 | $183,700 |
| Round Rock | 127,786 | 99.7 | $2,886 | $5,624 | $1,763 | $418,600 |
| Pearland | 127,514 | 104.1 | $3,058 | $5,866 | $1,860 | $356,300 |
| College Station | 124,570 | 91.8 | $2,493 | $5,058 | $1,194 | $346,700 |
| The Woodlands | 121,002 | 103.6 | $2,958 | $5,909 | $1,822 | $511,700 |
| Richardson | 118,731 | 106.2 | $3,224 | $6,012 | $1,857 | $431,400 |
| League City | 116,215 | 101.8 | $2,895 | $5,577 | $1,684 | $360,000 |
| Odessa | 115,322 | 95.4 | $2,523 | $5,040 | $1,315 | $223,100 |
| Beaumont | 113,279 | 90.7 | $2,289 | $4,852 | $1,121 | $166,400 |
| Allen | 110,265 | 107.2 | $3,211 | $6,206 | $1,932 | $464,100 |
| Sugar Land | 110,016 | 105.4 | $3,012 | $5,871 | $1,957 | $430,200 |
| Tyler | 109,215 | 92.1 | $2,426 | $4,989 | $1,252 | $235,300 |
| New Braunfels | 104,643 | 98.2 | $2,818 | $5,517 | $1,654 | $339,400 |
| Edinburg | 104,550 | 88.5 | $2,252 | $4,660 | $996 | $189,600 |
| Wichita Falls | 102,581 | 90.4 | $2,261 | $4,695 | $1,022 | $156,800 |
| Conroe | 102,360 | 98.0 | $2,794 | $5,487 | $1,393 | $309,600 |
| San Angelo | 99,674 | 92.5 | $2,320 | $4,880 | $1,153 | $187,600 |
| Atascocita | 99,354 | 104.0 | $2,935 | $5,812 | $1,849 | $307,400 |
| Temple | 89,602 | 92.3 | $2,485 | $5,005 | $1,231 | $239,000 |
| Bryan | 87,939 | 91.8 | $2,423 | $5,002 | $1,195 | $227,800 |
| Mission | 87,038 | 88.0 | $2,067 | $4,542 | $950 | $175,700 |
| Georgetown | 85,999 | 100.1 | $2,964 | $5,632 | $1,795 | $429,100 |
| Baytown | 85,205 | 96.9 | $2,522 | $5,146 | $1,307 | $197,300 |
| Longview | 82,923 | 90.4 | $2,344 | $4,789 | $1,101 | $202,600 |
| Pharr | 80,333 | 88.9 | $2,042 | $4,537 | $1,037 | $121,900 |
| Flower Mound | 78,389 | 111.0 | $3,426 | $6,531 | $2,231 | $560,200 |
| Cedar Park | 78,301 | 100.7 | $2,980 | $5,822 | $1,846 | $513,600 |
| Mansfield | 77,510 | 107.5 | $3,175 | $5,898 | $1,954 | $410,700 |
| Missouri City | 76,558 | 105.0 | $3,121 | $5,771 | $1,931 | $311,400 |
| Leander | 74,067 | 101.9 | $2,994 | $5,753 | $1,939 | $506,200 |
| Harlingen | 72,087 | 88.2 | $2,184 | $4,517 | $928 | $140,600 |
| San Marcos | 70,897 | 94.2 | $2,688 | $5,140 | $1,322 | $310,400 |
| North Richland Hills | 70,780 | 104.3 | $2,873 | $5,827 | $1,704 | $360,700 |
| Spring | 68,580 | 102.2 | $2,853 | $5,464 | $1,711 | $231,500 |
| Pflugerville | 65,971 | 101.8 | $3,104 | $5,893 | $1,932 | $402,400 |
| Victoria | 65,625 | 90.7 | $2,391 | $4,856 | $1,172 | $207,100 |
| Rowlett | 65,463 | 107.9 | $3,178 | $5,907 | $1,990 | $368,800 |
| Euless | 60,421 | 104.1 | $2,928 | $5,882 | $1,690 | $318,800 |
| Wylie | 60,334 | 110.5 | $3,074 | $5,933 | $2,189 | $387,000 |
| Kyle | 56,823 | 99.6 | $2,894 | $5,632 | $1,752 | $334,600 |
| DeSoto | 56,211 | 103.8 | $2,825 | $5,617 | $1,666 | $319,400 |
| Port Arthur | 55,828 | 89.6 | $2,243 | $4,628 | $1,021 | $107,400 |
| Texas City | 55,364 | 96.9 | $2,572 | $5,258 | $1,307 | $217,300 |
| Little Elm | 54,820 | 107.4 | $3,101 | $6,057 | $1,953 | $420,700 |
| Galveston | 53,424 | 96.8 | $2,636 | $5,395 | $1,298 | $326,000 |
| Burleson | 52,918 | 104.0 | $2,865 | $5,605 | $1,685 | $308,200 |
| Rockwall | 51,168 | 107.4 | $3,064 | $5,892 | $1,947 | $411,700 |
| Grapevine | 51,139 | 106.3 | $3,271 | $6,159 | $1,863 | $493,100 |
| Sherman | 46,397 | 94.2 | $2,483 | $5,128 | $1,324 | $243,500 |
| Hutto | 35,483 | 105.8 | $3,071 | $5,985 | $2,255 | $365,700 |
| Denison | 25,778 | 94.0 | $2,386 | $5,030 | $1,309 | $180,900 |
| Belton | 24,356 | 92.6 | $2,440 | $5,037 | $1,252 | $258,700 |
Metro areas in Texas
| Metro area | All items | Housing |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 103.1 | 117.9 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 98.6 | 104.5 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 98.1 | 120.4 |
| Midland, TX | 95.8 | 101.5 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 94.7 | 94.6 |
| Odessa, TX | 93.9 | 89.7 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 93.8 | 89.5 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 92.7 | 84.9 |
| Waco, TX | 92.5 | 83.5 |
| San Angelo, TX | 92.5 | 81.4 |
| Tyler, TX | 92.2 | 79.9 |
| Amarillo, TX | 91.8 | 78.4 |
| Lubbock, TX | 91.3 | 76.4 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 91.1 | 77.9 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 91.0 | 75.1 |
| Abilene, TX | 90.4 | 73.8 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 90.0 | 70.9 |
| El Paso, TX | 89.9 | 71.2 |
| Victoria, TX | 89.8 | 69.3 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 89.5 | 68.2 |
| Longview, TX | 89.5 | 66.7 |
| Laredo, TX | 87.0 | 59.7 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 86.0 | 57.7 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 85.9 | 55.9 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 84.0 | 49.9 |
| Eagle Pass, TX | 83.8 | 53.7 |
BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 for metropolitan statistical areas that include part of Texas.
Modelled monthly budget at Texas average prices
1 adult · 1-bedroom · modelled estimate for Texas (state average)
| Category | Per month | Per year | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | $1,066 | $12,792 | 39% |
| Utilities | $260 | $3,120 | 10% |
| Food at home | $277 | $3,324 | 10% |
| Transportation | $594 | $7,128 | 22% |
| Health care | $341 | $4,092 | 13% |
| Clothing, personal care & supplies | $164 | $1,968 | 6% |
| Total | $2,702 | $32,424 | 100% |
2 adults · 2-bedroom · modelled estimate for Texas (state average)
| Category | Per month | Per year | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | $1,202 | $14,424 | 28% |
| Utilities | $411 | $4,932 | 10% |
| Food at home | $511 | $6,132 | 12% |
| Transportation | $1,178 | $14,136 | 28% |
| Health care | $632 | $7,584 | 15% |
| Clothing, personal care & supplies | $322 | $3,864 | 8% |
| Total | $4,256 | $51,072 | 100% |
2 adults + 2 children · 3-bedroom · modelled estimate for Texas (state average)
| Category | Per month | Per year | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | $1,422 | $17,064 | 27% |
| Utilities | $500 | $6,000 | 10% |
| Food at home | $728 | $8,736 | 14% |
| Transportation | $1,563 | $18,756 | 30% |
| Health care | $589 | $7,068 | 11% |
| Clothing, personal care & supplies | $415 | $4,980 | 8% |
| Total | $5,217 | $62,604 | 100% |
state figures Rents are Census ACS state medians by bedrooms. See the methodology.
Electricity and gas and inflation
Residential electricity
15.91¢/kWh, August 2026
12-month change +3.3% · US 18.16¢
Regular gasoline
$3.58/gal, week of 2026-11-02
12-month change +45.1% · US $4.15
Consumer prices in the South region rose +3.4% over the 12 months to September 2026 (US +3.7%; BLS CPI-U).
Price level history
| Year | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 98.5 | 98.8 | 98.4 | 97.4 | 97.1 | 97.1 |
Change over the period: −1.5 points. Each year is measured relative to that year's US average.
Frequently asked questions
Is Texas an expensive state to live in?
Texas has a cost of living index of 97.1 (US = 100), 2.9% below the US average. It ranks 25th of 51 (1 = most expensive). Housing is 96.5 (rank 20), goods 98.1, utilities 87.5 and other services 97.1. Source: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
How much does it cost to live in Texas?
At Texas state-average prices, our modelled monthly budget is $2,702 for a single adult, $4,256 for a couple and $5,217 for a family of four, before taxes and child care. Costs vary widely within the state: metro areas average 97.9 and nonmetro areas 87.8.
What is the median rent and home value in Texas?
The median gross rent in Texas is $1,403 a month and the median home value is $283,800 (Census ACS 2020-2024). The typical renter spends 30.9% of income on rent.
Sources
- BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 (state, state metro and nonmetro portions, MSAs).
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year 2020-2024, state 48.
- EIA-861M residential electricity (August 2026); EIA weekly retail gasoline (Texas, 2026-11-02).
- BLS CPI-U, South region (September 2026).
Budgets are modelled estimates, not observed spending. Not financial advice. Methodology