What salary do you need to live in El Paso, TX?
For a single person: about $63,500/year before taxes to live comfortably. That's the gross income whose TX-taxed take-home covers roughly $1,191 rent plus everyday essentials, with a 20% cushion for savings. Figures include 2025 federal tax, FICA, and no state income tax (Texas doesn't have one).
What jobs here actually pay: the typical El Paso worker earns about $39,510/year (BLS OEWS, all occupations) — below the $52,500 a single person needs to cover local essentials, so a median local job alone runs 25% short.
Single person — est. essentials $3,688/mo
Tight
take-home covers $3,688/mo
$52,500/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $4,426/mo
$63,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $5,532/mo
$82,000/yr
2-person household — est. essentials $4,919/mo
Tight
take-home covers $4,919/mo
$68,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $5,903/mo
$83,000/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $7,379/mo
$105,000/yr
3-person household — est. essentials $6,079/mo
Tight
take-home covers $6,079/mo
$85,500/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $7,295/mo
$103,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $9,119/mo
$131,000/yr
4-person household — est. essentials $7,114/mo
Tight
take-home covers $7,114/mo
$101,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $8,537/mo
$122,000/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $10,671/mo
$157,500/yr
How we calculate this
Essentials = typical rent ($1,191) + a national non-housing baseline by household size ($2,450 for one person) + Texas's combined sales tax on the taxable share of that spending. We then solve for the gross salary whose after-tax take-home hits each tier, including municipal income tax where the city levies one. These assume adults sharing a home. A household with young children also pays childcare, which in most cities is the largest line after rent — run a search with your own household to price it. Property taxes aren't modeled — see the methodology.
Find jobs in El Paso
Opens each board's search pre-filled for El Paso, TX.
Planning a move here?
Get notified when El Paso gets more affordable, plus relocation tips.
We'll only email you what you asked for. Unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy.