Denver vs Houston: Cost of Living
Denver is about 7% more expensive than Houston, based on the BEA regional price parity index (U.S. average = 100): Denver at 105.782, Houston at 98.629.
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Denver: 105.782
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Houston: 98.629
Salary parity ($100K in Denver)
$93K in Houston
If you earn $100K in Denver, you would need about $93K in Houston to keep the same standard of living (price levels only; taxes on your specific income are separate).
Rents: the biggest difference
Denver
Rent price parity: 146.919 (U.S. average = 100)
Houston
Rent price parity: 104.51 (U.S. average = 100)
What common jobs pay in each city (after tax)
| Occupation | Median (Denver) | Take-home (Denver) | Median (Houston) | Take-home (Houston) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $138K | $100K | $129K | $100K |
| Data Scientist | $113K | $84K | $107K | $84K |
| Registered Nurse | $101K | $76K | $100K | $79K |
| Accountant | $100K | $75K | $85K | $69K |
| Mechanical Engineer | $128K | $94K | $125K | $97K |
| Marketing Manager | $182K | $129K | $153K | $116K |
| Electrician | $63K | $51K | $59K | $50K |
| Elementary School Teacher | $77K | $60K | $65K | $54K |
| Police Officer | $102K | $77K | $75K | $61K |
| Chef | $67K | $54K | $45K | $39K |
| Financial Analyst | $104K | $78K | $102K | $80K |
| Civil Engineer | $105K | $78K | $101K | $80K |
| Pharmacist | - | - | - | - |
| Physical Therapist | - | - | - | - |
| Dental Hygienist | - | - | - | - |
| Web Developer | - | - | - | - |
| Graphic Designer | - | - | - | - |
| Paralegal | $81K | $63K | $63K | $53K |
| Plumber | - | - | - | - |
| HVAC Technician | $72K | $57K | $59K | $50K |
Taxes at a glance
Take-home assumes a single filer using the standard deduction. Denver (Colorado state tax), Houston (Texas state tax). A $100K salary nets about $75K in Denver vs $79K in Houston. Full assumptions: methodology.