Los Angeles vs Houston Cost of Living
Los Angeles (United States) · Overall index 84.3 — Houston (United States) · Overall index 64.2
Summary
- Overall, Houston is 24% cheaper than Los Angeles.
- Rent in Houston is 47% cheaper than in Los Angeles.
- Transport in Houston is 20% cheaper than in Los Angeles.
| Item | Los Angeles | Houston | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -47% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,015 | $1,545 | -49% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,094 | $987 | -53% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $5,390 | $3,154 | -41% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $3,727 | $2,052 | -45% |
| Groceries | -15% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.22 | $1.05 | -14% |
| White bread (500g) | $4.23 | $3.3 | -22% |
| Rice (1kg) | $5.36 | $3.93 | -27% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.45 | $3.8 | -15% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $12.9 | $12.1 | -6% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $13.9 | $9.92 | -29% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $19.4 | $14.4 | -26% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.63 | $4.86 | -14% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $2.08 | $1.96 | -6% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.73 | $4.3 | -9% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.89 | $4.92 | -16% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.66 | $2.66 | 0% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.62 | $2.22 | -15% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.64 | $2.46 | -7% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.4 | $1.93 | -20% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $15.1 | $13.3 | -12% |
| Transport | -20% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.52 | $2.06 | -18% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $123 | $92.2 | -25% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.66 | $2.93 | -20% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.93 | $1.58 | -18% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.95 | $0.68 | -28% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,629 | $22,095 | -10% |
| Dining out | -17% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $19.4 | $20 | +3% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $120 | $85 | -29% |
| Fast food combo meal | $10.6 | $9.59 | -10% |
| Cappuccino | $5.3 | $4.65 | -12% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.52 | $2 | -21% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $7.79 | $5.86 | -25% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $8.45 | $6.42 | -24% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.83 | $1.58 | -14% |
| Telecom | -10% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $53.8 | $57.6 | +7% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $58.1 | $51.1 | -12% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.32 | $0.27 | -16% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $15 | $12.3 | -18% |
| Utilities & household | -18% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $181 | $133 | -27% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.24 | $0.2 | -17% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.85 | $3.71 | -24% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.31 | $1.11 | -15% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $22.7 | $19.9 | -12% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $88.5 | $73.6 | -17% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $16.8 | $13.6 | -19% |
| Men's haircut | $30.7 | $29.3 | -5% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $27.9 | $22.4 | -20% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $2,276 | $1,832 | -20% |
3,286 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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