Question 1

Is Houston or Los Angeles cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Houston, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $2,029/month less than in Los Angeles, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,573/mo in Houston versus $2,903/mo in Los Angeles.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Houston vs Los Angeles?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $70,000/year before tax in Houston, TX and $122,000/year in Los Angeles, CA — a difference of about $52,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Houston or Los Angeles cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Houston, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,739/month in Houston and $11,266/month in Los Angeles, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Houston or Los Angeles?

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	Houston59	Los Angeles47
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,993	$6,022
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,739	$11,266
Salary for comfort	$70,000/yr	$122,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,573	$2,903
Median home value	$253,400	$879,500
Median household income	$62,894	$80,366
Unemployment	4.5%	5.3%
Housing score	53	2
Jobs score	46	25
Safety score	4	47
Climate score	98	100
Amenities score	69	100
Population	2.3M	3.9M
Summer high / winter low	93° / 44°	89° / 47°

Houston, TX vs Los Angeles, CA