Moving from Detroit to Midland

You'd keep $974 more a month in Midland

+$11,688 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.

Detroit leftover

$2,473

a month after tax and rent

Midland leftover

$3,447

+$974 vs Detroit

Monthly and annual budget comparison between Detroit, MI and Midland, TX
Per monthDetroitMidlandDifference
Gross pay$7,625$8,395+$770
Income and payroll tax$2,049$1,790−$259
Take-home pay$5,576$6,605+$1,029
Rent$1,194$1,273+$79
Getting around$560$570+$10
Groceries$372$363−$9
Healthcare$419$408−$11
Utilities$233$227−$6
Everything else$326$317−$9
Left over$2,473$3,447+$974

To break even in Midland, you'd need to earn

$84,000

Household gross, versus $91,500 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Detroit does now.

The tax difference alone

+$5,847

A year, in state and local income tax. Texas has no wage income tax.

More about Midland

Detroit, MI in full

Engineering wages against some of the cheapest urban housing in America.

Midland, TX in full

No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,516 and 263 sunny days; commutes average 22 minutes.

The reverse move

Same two cities, but starting from Midland on Midland wages.

MidlandDetroit

Questions

Is the cost of living lower in Midland than Detroit?

A one-bedroom is about $1,194 in Detroit versus $1,273 in Midland. On a one-adult, one-bedroom household, leftover is about $974 a month higher in Midland. Change the job or household on the comparison to see your number.

Does Midland have state income tax?

Midland is in Texas, which has no state income tax.

What changes if you move from Detroit to Midland?

Take-home pay is recalculated under Texas tax, rent is priced at the same bedroom count, and leftover is the gap. The from-to page also lists IRS households that already made the move, when that data exists.

Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.