Moving from Jefferson City to Houston
You'd keep $267 more a month in Houston
+$3,204 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
Jefferson City leftover
$2,881
a month after tax and rent
Houston leftover
$3,148
+$267 vs Jefferson City
| Per month | Jefferson City | Houston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,083 | $7,957 | +$874 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,657 | $1,660 | +$3 |
| Take-home pay | $5,426 | $6,297 | +$870 |
| Rent | $744 | $1,199 | +$455 |
| Getting around | $533 | $572 | +$39 |
| Groceries | $350 | $380 | +$30 |
| Healthcare | $394 | $428 | +$34 |
| Utilities | $219 | $238 | +$19 |
| Everything else | $306 | $333 | +$27 |
| Left over | $2,881 | $3,148 | +$267 |
To break even in Houston, you'd need to earn
$91,000
Household gross, versus $85,000 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Jefferson City does now.
The tax difference alone
+$3,068
A year, in state and local income tax. Texas has no wage income tax.
More about Houston
Jefferson City, MO in full
State income tax topping out at 4.7%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $886 and 217 sunny days; commutes average 22 minutes.
Houston, TX in full
The cheapest housing of any top-10 metro, paid for in property tax and humidity.
The reverse move
Same two cities, but starting from Houston on Houston wages.
Houston → Jefferson City →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Houston than Jefferson City?
A one-bedroom is about $744 in Jefferson City versus $1,199 in Houston. On a one-adult, one-bedroom household, leftover is about $267 a month higher in Houston. Change the job or household on the comparison to see your number.
Does Houston have state income tax?
Houston is in Texas, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Jefferson City to Houston?
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.