Houston vs Surprise
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Houston
Surprise
💡 The Verdict
Houston is 6% cheaper than Surprise overall. A $75,000 salary in Houston is equivalent to $79,688 in Surprise.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Houston (left) vs Surprise (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Houston versus Surprise. Differences shown from Houston perspective.
| Item | Houston | Surprise | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $1,020/mo | $640/mo | +$380.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,400/mo | $960/mo | +$440.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,920/mo | $1,330/mo | +$590.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.51 | $3.00 | $-0.49 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.58 | $3.47 | +$0.11 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.08 | $2.77 | +$0.31 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.55 | $5.54 | +$0.01 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.49 | $3.55 | $-0.06 |
| Restaurant Meal | $13.18 | $15.22 | $-2.04 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Houston has the same purchasing power as $79,688 in Surprise.
Conversely, $75,000 in Surprise equals $70,588 in Houston.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $1876 difference is driven by Arizona having a higher state income tax rate. Texas details → · Arizona details →
Reading These Numbers: Houston (96) vs Surprise (102)
Houston at 96 is 4% below the US average, while Surprise at 102 is 2% above average. The cost difference between these cities is relatively modest.
In Houston, the composite index of 96 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 89, followed by groceries (94), utilities (97), transportation (108), and healthcare (96). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,400/mo in Houston and $960/mo in Surprise, the annual rent difference is approximately $5,280.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $26,400.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $48,000.0 difference in median home prices between Houston and Surprise 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: Houston vs Surprise
Choosing between Houston and Surprise 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 Houston and Surprise 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.