Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Houston?

Greenville, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Houston, TX's $1,360, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Greenville than in Houston?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Greenville versus $46,000 in Houston.

Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Houston?

Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Houston under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Greenville vs Houston Cost of Living 2026

Greenville

South Carolina

$1,300/mo est.

Houston

Texas

$1,360/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Greenville, SC versus $1,360 in Houston, TX. Overall, Greenville, SC is roughly 4% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Houston, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $68,460 in Greenville, SC and $62,894 in Houston, TX — about 8% higher in Greenville, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Greenville, SC

Houston, TX

Rent

Studio

$1,175

$1,142

+3% in Greenville, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,113

$1,156

+4% in Houston, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,325

$1,375

+4% in Houston, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,550

$1,664

+7% in Houston, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$453,300

$253,400

+44% in Greenville, SC

Income

Median Household Income

$68,460

$62,894

+8% in Greenville, SC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,580

$49,410

+6% in Houston, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.8 yr

34.3 yr

+0.5 yr in Greenville, SC

Homeownership

41.2%

42.0%

+0.8 pp in Houston, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.0%

36.0%

+19.0 pp in Greenville, SC

Avg Commute

19.9 min

27.3 min

+7.4 min in Houston, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

649.8

1,153.8

+78% in Houston, TX

Property Crime

3,479.3

4,324.9

+24% in Houston, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

60.5°F

70.3°F

+9.8°F in Houston, TX

Annual Precipitation

50.8 in

54.6 in

+3.9 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.52/gal

+11% in Greenville, SC

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Houston.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs Houston METRO (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.6

15.9

+3% in Houston, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$29.07

$31.89

+10% in Houston, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.75

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (SC / TX)

6.25%

+0.3 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

None

+6.0 pp in SC

Greenville vs Houston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Houston?: Greenville, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 4% below Houston, TX's $1,360, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Greenville than in Houston?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Greenville versus $46,000 in Houston.
Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Houston?: Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Houston under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).