Houston, TX

Cost of Living in Houston, TX (2026): Rent, Utilities & Take-Home

$3,138/mo in Houston. $3,170 left each month. Prices near the US average.

Compare vs Chicago Rank metros from HoustonHow we figure this

Monthly costs

Take-home $6,308/mo.

Taxes$1,665
Rent$1,188
Other living costs$1,950
Left over$3,170

Pay and tax, per year

Gross household pay: $95,686
Federal income tax: −$12,665
Social Security and Medicare: −$7,320
State income tax (TX): None
Take-home pay: $75,701
Effective tax rate: 20.9%

Living costs, per month

Rent, 1br: $1,188
Groceries: $380
Getting around: $572
Healthcare: $428
Utilities and internet: $238
Everything else: $333
Total spending: $3,138

Left over each month

$7,974 gross, minus $1,665 in tax and $3,138 in living costs.

$3,170

Average electric bill in Texas

About $139 a month for a household using 900 kWh. That is the EIA residential price for Texas in 2025, 15.4¢ per kWh. It is a state average, not a Houston utility bill, and the utilities line in the monthly costs above already includes a modelled power cost.

Cost of Living in Houston, TX (2026): Rent, Utilities & Take-Home

Monthly costs

Pay and tax, per year

Living costs, per month

Average electric bill in Texas

Moving from Houston

Take-home by job in Houston

Other Texas metros

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