Relocation: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Raleigh-Cary, NC
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 Raleigh-Cary, NC.
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
Raleigh-Cary, NC
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) | Raleigh-Cary (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,261 | $1,552 | +$291 | +23.1% |
| Food & Groceries | $321 | $382 | +$61 | +19.0% |
| Transportation | $1,015 | $1,109 | +$94 | +9.3% |
| Healthcare | $422 | $451 | +$29 | +6.9% |
| Other Necessities | $480 | $595 | +$115 | +24.0% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $1,735 | $2,025 | +$290 | +16.7% |
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 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands Median | Raleigh-Cary Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $119,600 | $114,940 | -$4,660 (-3.9%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $99,830 | $84,830 | -$15,000 (-15.0%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $99,510 | $102,280 | +$2,770 (+2.8%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $85,090 | $81,950 | -$3,140 (-3.7%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $129,440 | $132,770 | +$3,330 (+2.6%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $59,180 | $56,800 | -$2,380 (-4.0%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $166,910 | $163,130 | -$3,780 (-2.3%) | View Dossier |
| Industrial Machinery MechanicIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $63,180 | $62,080 | -$1,100 (-1.7%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $135,880 | $163,520 | +$27,640 (+20.3%) | View Dossier |
| Construction ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $103,530 | $119,700 | +$16,170 (+15.6%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $172,160 | $173,960 | +$1,800 (+1.0%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $46,630 | $49,460 | +$2,830 (+6.1%) | 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC Relocation FAQs
About $126,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 136.2 in Raleigh-Cary, NC, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Raleigh-Cary, NC: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Raleigh-Cary, NC: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on the same. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX to Raleigh-Cary, NC compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $126,900. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (107.4 in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX, 136.2 in Raleigh-Cary, NC, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 26.9% higher in Raleigh-Cary, NC than in Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.