Question 1

Is Houston or Memphis cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Memphis, TN is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $463/month less than in Houston, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,573/mo in Houston versus $1,274/mo in Memphis.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Houston vs Memphis?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $70,000/year before tax in Houston, TX and $60,500/year in Memphis, TN — a difference of about $9,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Houston or Memphis cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Memphis, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,739/month in Houston and $6,533/month in Memphis, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Houston or Memphis?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Memphis 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	Memphis57
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,993	$3,530
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,739	$6,533
Salary for comfort	$70,000/yr	$60,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,573	$1,274
Median home value	$253,400	$157,100
Median household income	$62,894	$51,211
Unemployment	4.5%	4.7%
Housing score	53	68
Jobs score	46	31
Safety score	4	4
Climate score	98	100
Amenities score	69	47
Population	2.3M	629.1K
Summer high / winter low	93° / 44°	90° / 30°

Houston, TX vs Memphis, TN