Living Cost Compare
Houston

Texas

$1,360/mo est.

vs
Minneapolis

Minnesota

$1,370/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,360 in Houston, TX versus $1,370 in Minneapolis, MN. Overall, Houston, TX is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Minneapolis, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $62,894 in Houston, TX and $80,269 in Minneapolis, MN — about 22% higher in Minneapolis, MN. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Houston, TX
Minneapolis, MN

Rent

Studio
$1,142
$992
+13% in Houston, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,156
$1,192
+3% in Minneapolis, MN
2 Bedroom
$1,375
$1,555
+13% in Minneapolis, MN
3 Bedroom
$1,664
$1,761
+6% in Minneapolis, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$253,400
$345,600
+36% in Minneapolis, MN

Income

Median Household Income
$62,894
$80,269
+28% in Minneapolis, MN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,410
$59,320
+20% in Minneapolis, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.3 yr
33.0 yr
+1.3 yr in Houston, TX
Homeownership
42.0%
48.0%
+6.0 pp in Minneapolis, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.0%
54.5%
+18.5 pp in Minneapolis, MN
Avg Commute
27.3 min
22.5 min
+4.8 min in Houston, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,153.8
1,168.5
+1% in Minneapolis, MN
Property Crime
4,324.9
5,183.1
+20% in Minneapolis, MN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.3°F
47.4°F
+22.9°F in Houston, TX
Annual Precipitation
54.6 in
32.8 in
+21.8 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.52/gal
$3.95/gal
+12% in Minneapolis, MN

Area: Houston vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$2.00
+60% in Minneapolis, MN

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
16.9
+3% in Minneapolis, MN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$14.95
+51% in Houston, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Minneapolis, MN
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Houston, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Minneapolis, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Minneapolis, MN
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Minneapolis, MN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MN)
6.25%
6.875%
+0.6 pp in MN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
9.85%
+9.8 pp in MN

Houston vs Minneapolis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Houston or Minneapolis?
Houston, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,360 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Minneapolis, MN's $1,370, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Houston than in Minneapolis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Houston versus $48,000 in Minneapolis.
Which has lower taxes, Houston or Minneapolis?
Houston is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Minneapolis under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).