Augusta vs Houston
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Augusta
Houston
💡 The Verdict
Augusta is 9% cheaper than Houston overall. A $75,000 salary in Augusta is equivalent to $82,759 in Houston.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Augusta (left) vs Houston (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Augusta versus Houston. Differences shown from Augusta perspective.
| Item | Augusta | Houston | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $800/mo | $1,020/mo | $-220.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,060/mo | $1,400/mo | $-340.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,370/mo | $1,920/mo | $-550.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.35 | $2.51 | $-0.16 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.17 | $3.58 | $-0.41 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.03 | $3.08 | $-0.05 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.01 | $5.55 | $-0.54 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.15 | $3.49 | $-0.34 |
| Restaurant Meal | $14.32 | $13.18 | +$1.14 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Augusta has the same purchasing power as $82,759 in Houston.
Conversely, $75,000 in Houston equals $67,969 in Augusta.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $4126 difference is driven by Georgia having a higher state income tax rate. Georgia details → · Texas details →
Reading These Numbers: Augusta (87) vs Houston (96)
Augusta at 87 is 13% below the US average, while Houston at 96 is 4% below average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In Augusta, the composite index of 87 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 81, followed by groceries (80), utilities (77), transportation (91), and healthcare (86). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,060/mo in Augusta and $1,400/mo in Houston, the annual rent difference is approximately $4,080.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $20,400.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $16,000.0 difference in median home prices between Augusta and Houston translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Augusta vs Houston
Choosing between Augusta and Houston involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Augusta and Houston reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.