Question 1

Is Denver or Houston cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Houston, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $453/month less than in Denver, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,089/mo in Denver versus $1,573/mo in Houston.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Denver vs Houston?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $84,500/year before tax in Denver, CO and $70,500/year in Houston, TX — a difference of about $14,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Denver or Houston cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Houston, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $11,167/month in Denver and $9,579/month in Houston, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Denver or Houston?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Houston costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Denver54	Houston57
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,499	$4,046
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$11,167	$9,579
Salary for comfort	$84,500/yr	$70,500/yr
Typical rent	$2,089	$1,573
Median home value	$586,700	$253,400
Median household income	$91,681	$62,894
Unemployment	4.1%	5.2%
Housing score	30	50
Jobs score	44	36
Safety score	35	4
Climate score	74	100
Amenities score	64	69
Population	713.7K	2.3M
Summer high / winter low	88° / 17°	92° / 45°

Denver, CO vs Houston, TX