United States
America's most ethnically diverse city with a booming energy sector, NASA's Space Center, and an underrated food scene spanning every world cuisine.
#66 of 250
42% above average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 2 067
Based on NYC = 100 index
Houston is the 66. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 2 067 for one adult.
Most of that goes on housing, which runs 19% above the median city and adds $ 198 a month: 1br apartment (city center) $ 1 381, 1br apartment (outside center) $ 1 098. It is also pricier than usual for restaurants.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is clothing, 43% below the median: jeans (levis or similar) $ 55, summer dress (chain store) $ 38.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
35 prices on this page come from live scrapers (14 sources, observed October 7, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in Houston, United States. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/houston. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (City Center) | 1,381.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 1,098.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 2,597.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 1,850.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 9.20 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Pork (1kg) | 9.35 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Beef (1kg) | 15.78 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 9.71 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.12 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Yogurt (150g) | 1.05 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Cheese (1kg) | 13.19 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Butter (200g) | 1.77 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Eggs (12) | 2.27 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Bread (500g) | 2.01 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Rice (1kg) | 2.45 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 2.15 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 4.36 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Banana (1kg) | 1.44 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Oranges (1kg) | 3.77 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Flour (1kg) | 1.21 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Sugar (1kg) | 2.26 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Coffee (250g) | 5.13 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Imported Beer (0.33L) | 6.00 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Pub & Bar Drinks Menus |
| One-way Ticket | 1.25 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.01 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | EIA Weekly Retail Gasoline |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 46.90 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Electricity Tariffs |
| Mobile Plan (10GB+) | 35.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Anglo Telecom Operators |
| Internet (60 Mbps+) | 50.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | T-Mobile Home Internet |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 21.88 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Americas Entertainment Chains, Gym Chains |
| Doctor Visit (15 min) | 150.00 / visit | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Private Clinics & Telehealth |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 6.90 / item | 1 | 2026-10-07 | Global Local Pharmacies |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 54.61 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo, H&M |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 37.95 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo, H&M |
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Monthly average costs by category
$ 1 240
per month
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per month
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per month
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per month
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per month
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per month
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per month
$ 15
per month