Tell me about the Cost of Living in Houston (Dallas: sales, real estate)

[Almeida93]

I live in El Paso, and although El Paso seems slightly more affordable,it appears Houston offers greater income earning potential and much better employment prospects in the field of accounting, finance,banking. Would that be correct?

With the way the economy is, employment opportunities is my top priority.I also dont really care much about the humidity and traffic, El Paso is really hot too. It also appears a bigger city like Houston would offer more social interaction for young proffesionals, making it another plus.

[epperob1984]

The cost of living is not too bad. My wife and I pay $1200/month in rent for a one bedroom apt. Previously, we were able to live in nice apts for somewhere in the $700 - $800 range; however, we live right across the street from Hermann Park within walking distance of museums, the zoo, jogging trails, green space, etc. I guess our rent is not too bad considering those amenities.

The thing that's really getting to us is transportation costs. If you're lucky enough to live near your workplace, this shouldn't be an issue. But I have a 22-mile commute. I work in the Greenspoint area (North Houston) and my wife works at Westheimer and the Beltway. Our gas and tolls cost somewhere around $500/month. That's just for transportation to and from work and doesn't include recreational driving. Keep in mind that my wife drives a gas-guzzling Tahoe.

We don't see any real difference in food and utilities between Houston and other Texas cities. The food here is really good, though, so you might find yourself tempted to eat out more. Coming from El Paso, I think the same 8.25% sales tax rate applies. I think the one thing that will surprise you is what you get for the money in Houston vs. El Paso when looking for housing. If you don't mind living outside the inner loop, you'll probably be able to find something to your liking and within your budget, but if you want an inner loop location proximal to the city's best amenities, be prepared to pay over $1000 for rent for a one bedroom apt. Real estate isn't nearly as high as Austin, but I think it's just as high as Dallas when positioning yourself closer and closer to city attractions.

[jeremy2788]

Yep, it mainly depends on where you want to live. There are apartments with efficiency/studio apartments in DT for 1000 and it goes up from there. But there are also places out in the burbs where you can pay 7-800 a month.