Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Los Angeles-Anaheim, CA
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 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA.
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.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands (Monthly) | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,261 | $2,402 | +$1,141 | +90.5% |
| Food & Groceries | $321 | $367 | +$46 | +14.3% |
| Transportation | $1,015 | $1,004 | -$11 | -1.1% |
| Healthcare | $422 | $398 | -$24 | -5.7% |
| Other Necessities | $480 | $690 | +$210 | +43.8% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $1,735 | $2,253 | +$518 | +29.9% |
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 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $119,600 | $125,830 | +$6,230 (+5.2%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $99,830 | $135,560 | +$35,730 (+35.8%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $85,090 | $94,360 | +$9,270 (+10.9%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $129,440 | $160,920 | +$31,480 (+24.3%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $99,510 | $108,310 | +$8,800 (+8.8%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $135,880 | $132,330 | -$3,550 (-2.6%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $166,910 | $175,310 | +$8,400 (+5.0%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $101,120 | $104,930 | +$3,810 (+3.8%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $59,180 | $73,810 | +$14,630 (+24.7%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $46,630 | $51,560 | +$4,930 (+10.6%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $172,160 | $204,370 | +$32,210 (+18.7%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $124,400 | $134,230 | +$9,830 (+7.9%) | 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
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Relocation FAQs
About $134,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 144.2 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Houston-Pasadena, TX to Los Angeles-Anaheim, CA compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $134,300. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 144.2 in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 34.3% higher in Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA than in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.