Living Cost Compare
Houston

Texas

$1,350/mo est.

vs
San Francisco

California

$2,750/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,350 in Houston, TX versus $2,750 in San Francisco, CA. Overall, Houston, TX is roughly 51% cheaper to live in day-to-day than San Francisco, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $62,894 in Houston, TX and $141,446 in San Francisco, CA — about 56% higher in San Francisco, CA. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Houston, TX
San Francisco, CA

Rent

Studio
$1,142
$1,560
+37% in San Francisco, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,156
$2,425
+110% in San Francisco, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,375
$2,982
+117% in San Francisco, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,664
$3,269
+96% in San Francisco, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$253,400
$1,380,500
+445% in San Francisco, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$62,894
$141,446
+125% in San Francisco, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,410
$74,260
+50% in San Francisco, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.3 yr
39.7 yr
+5.4 yr in San Francisco, CA
Homeownership
42.0%
38.5%
+3.5 pp in Houston, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.0%
60.1%
+24.1 pp in San Francisco, CA
Avg Commute
27.3 min
31.2 min
+3.9 min in San Francisco, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,155.2
596.5
+48% in Houston, TX
Property Crime
4,325.3
3,962.2
+8% 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
70.3°F
57.3°F
+13.0°F in Houston, TX
Annual Precipitation
54.6 in
23.6 in
+31.0 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$6.05/gal
+57% in San Francisco, CA

Area: Houston vs San Francisco.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$2.50
+100% in San Francisco, CA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
33.4
+103% in San Francisco, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$20.72
+16% in Houston, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.37
+5% in San Francisco, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$2.10
+21% in San Francisco, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.25
+3% in San Francisco, CA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$7.23
+10% in San Francisco, CA
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.14
+12% in San Francisco, CA
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.74
+21% in San Francisco, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / CA)
6.25%
7.25%
+1.0 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Houston vs San Francisco — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Houston or San Francisco?
Houston, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 51% below San Francisco, CA's $2,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Houston than in San Francisco?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Houston versus $97,000 in San Francisco.
Which has lower taxes, Houston or San Francisco?
Houston is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); San Francisco under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).