Relocation: Boston-Newton, MA to Houston-Pasadena, TX
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Boston-Cambridge-Newton (Monthly) | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $2,518 | $1,261 | -$1,257 | -49.9% |
| Food & Groceries | $418 | $321 | -$97 | -23.2% |
| Transportation | $1,080 | $1,015 | -$65 | -6.0% |
| Healthcare | $413 | $422 | +$9 | +2.2% |
| Other Necessities | $832 | $480 | -$352 | -42.3% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,133 | $1,735 | -$398 | -18.7% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Boston-Cambridge-Newton Median | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $133,800 | $119,600 | -$14,200 (-10.6%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $106,180 | $99,830 | -$6,350 (-6.0%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $100,150 | $85,090 | -$15,060 (-15.0%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $166,090 | $129,440 | -$36,650 (-22.1%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $114,990 | $99,510 | -$15,480 (-13.5%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $209,780 | $166,910 | -$42,870 (-20.4%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $135,640 | $101,120 | -$34,520 (-25.4%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $214,960 | $172,160 | -$42,800 (-19.9%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $79,910 | $59,180 | -$20,730 (-25.9%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $206,610 | $135,880 | -$70,730 (-34.2%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $136,760 | $124,400 | -$12,360 (-9.0%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $58,210 | $46,630 | -$11,580 (-19.9%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX Relocation FAQs
About $66,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (162.7 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH to Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Boston-Newton, MA to Houston-Pasadena, TX compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $66,000. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (162.7 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH, 107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 34.0% lower in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX than in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.