

Charlotte vs Houston
$591/mo more in Houston
CharlotteHoustonAbout 924 miles apart, a flight.
- Houston leaves you more
- No state income tax
- Property tax 1.75%
Same paycheck, two cities. $3,148/mo in Houston. $2,557/mo in Charlotte. +$7,092 a year.
Charlotte
$2,557
left each month
Houston
$3,148
+$591 vs Charlotte
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 362 households moved Charlotte → Houston (avg AGI $85,213). 303 went the other way. The whole move →
+$591 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Charlotte | Houston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,708 | $7,942 | +$234 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,869 | $1,656 | −$213 |
| Take-home pay | $5,839 | $6,286 | +$447 |
| Rent | $1,322 | $1,188 | −$134 |
| Getting around | $568 | $572 | +$4 |
| Groceries | $384 | $380 | −$4 |
| Healthcare | $432 | $428 | −$4 |
| Utilities | $240 | $238 | −$2 |
| Everything else | $336 | $333 | −$3 |
| Left over | $2,557 | $3,148 | +$591 |
Salary to match Charlotte
$85,000
Gross pay in Houston that leaves the same amount as $92,500 in Charlotte.
Tax difference
+$3,389
A year, in state and local income tax. Texas has no wage income tax.
More about Houston
Charlotte, NC in full
A banking hub with a 4.25% flat tax and mild winters.
Houston, TX in full
The cheapest housing of any top-10 metro, paid for in property tax and humidity.
The other way
Start in Houston.
Houston → Charlotte →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Houston than Charlotte?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Houston leaves about $591 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,322 in Charlotte and $1,188 in Houston.
Does Houston have state income tax?
Houston is in Texas, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Charlotte to Houston?
The paycheck is taxed in Texas. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Charlotte and Houston changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.