Houston vs Denver
Houston, TX · Denver, CO
Houston is 20% cheaper than Denver overall.
Home Price
Houston: $320,000
Denver: $565,000
Monthly Rent
Houston: $1,262/mo
Denver: $1,395/mo
COL Index
Houston: 101
Denver: 121
Median Income
Houston: $67,800
Denver: $85,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Houston has the same purchasing power as $119,802 in Denver — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Denver are 77% cheaper (-$245,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.
Renting
Renting in Houston saves you $133/month — $1,596 per year. Median rent: $1,262/mo in Houston vs $1,395/mo in Denver.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Houston owners pay roughly $6,080/year in property taxes vs $3,108/year in Denver. That's a $2,973 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $67,800 in Houston and $85,200 in Denver. Houston residents earn 26% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 29 minutes in Houston vs 26 minutes in Denver. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Houston to Denver, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Houston | Equivalent in Denver | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $59,901 | +$9,901 |
| $75,000 | $89,851 | +$14,851 |
| $100,000 | $119,802 | +$19,802 |
| $150,000 | $179,703 | +$29,703 |
| $200,000 | $239,604 | +$39,604 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Houston Calculators
Denver Calculators
Related Comparisons
Houston vs Denver: Common Questions
Is Houston or Denver cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Houston is cheaper overall. Houston has a COL index of 101 while Denver scores 121 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Houston and Denver?
The median home price in Houston is $320,000 vs $565,000 in Denver — a difference of $245,000 (77%).
What salary do I need in Denver to match my Houston income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Houston is equivalent to $119,802 in Denver in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Denver has a lower property tax rate (0.55% vs 1.9%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,108/year vs $6,080/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.