Minneapolis, MN → Houston, TX
You'd keep $394 more a month in Houston
+$4,728 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.
| Per month | Minneapolis | Houston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $8,250 | $7,939 | −$311 |
| Income and payroll tax | $2,186 | $1,655 | −$531 |
| Take-home pay | $6,064 | $6,284 | +$220 |
| Rent | $1,369 | $1,199 | −$170 |
| Getting around | $504 | $572 | +$68 |
| Groceries | $400 | $380 | −$20 |
| Healthcare | $450 | $428 | −$22 |
| Utilities | $250 | $238 | −$12 |
| Everything else | $350 | $333 | −$17 |
| Left over | $2,741 | $3,135 | +$394 |
To break even in Houston, you'd need to earn
$88,500
Household gross, versus $99,000 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Minneapolis does now.
The tax difference alone
+$5,269
A year, in state and local income tax. Texas has no wage income tax.
Minneapolis, MN in full
Strong wages, good bones, and a January that averages 9°F at night.
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 → Minneapolis →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.