Rent vs Buy in Houston, TX

Houston, TX Assumptions

Home Purchase
Ongoing Costs
Rental
Growth
Tax
Projection

Buy Net Worth

Rent Net Worth

Break-Even

Verdict

Net Worth Over Time — Houston, TX

Year-by-Year Comparison

Year-by-year rent vs buy comparison for Houston, TX
Year Buy
Net Worth
Rent
Net Worth
Difference Monthly
Buy Cost
Monthly
Rent

Cities & Towns in Houston, TX

This calculator's defaults reflect the broader Houston, TX metropolitan area, including:

  • Houston
  • Sugar Land
  • The Woodlands
  • Pearland
  • Katy
  • Pasadena
  • League City
  • Spring
  • Cypress
  • Conroe
  • Friendswood
  • Missouri City

Region: South. Housing cost-of-living index: 81 (national avg = 100). Composite cost-of-living: 92.

About this Houston, TX estimate

The default home price and rent come from the Houston, TX metropolitan area's housing cost-of-living index applied to national 2025 medians ($420,000 home, $1,850/mo rent for a typical 2-3 BR). The property tax rate is the average effective rate for Texas per the Tax Foundation. These are starting points — adjust to match your specific listing, neighborhood, and tax bill.