🇺🇸 United States · A realistic 2026 budget for newcomers — rent, food, transport, and what a month actually costs.
Wondering how far your salary goes in Houston? Here’s what everyday life costs, in local prices — the numbers that matter when you’re deciding to move or negotiating a package.
One-bed apartment, outside the Loop or Energy CorridorUSD 1,000–1,350 / month
Car — insurance, fuel, tolls and parkingUSD 400–600 / month, and effectively unavoidable
Groceries, one personUSD 330–460 / month
Summer electricity, one-bed with air conditioningUSD 120–220 / month from June to September
Good to know
Population
≈2.3 million in the city; ≈7.5 million across the metro — the fourth-largest US city and fifth-largest metro
Languages
English and Spanish, plus Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic and Urdu — more than 145 languages are spoken in the metro
Currency
United States dollar (USD)
Time zone
CST (GMT-6); CDT (GMT-5) from mid-March to early November
Power plug
Types A and B, 120 V / 60 Hz
Climate
Humid subtropical — long, very humid summers, mild winters, and a hurricane season from June to November
Zoning
None. Houston is the only major US city without zoning; private deed restrictions do the work instead
State income tax
None — Texas funds itself through property and sales tax instead
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.
A note on budgeting
Rent is usually the swing factor — location and whether bills are included move the number most. Build your estimate from the rent band above, add a monthly living figure, and keep a buffer for one-off setup costs (deposits, a residence permit, a local SIM, first-month transport). Globe Quest turns this into a personalized Houston checklist so nothing setup-related catches you off guard.
Plan your move to Houston
A free, AI-personalized plan — the language, culture, and setup steps timed to your move date.