USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

Michigan vs Texas: cost of living compared

Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).

Is it cheaper to live in Michigan or Texas?

  • Overall, living costs in Texas and Michigan are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Michigan works out to about $75,700 in Texas, before taxes.
  • Housing is 17.2% higher in Texas, goods 2.2% higher and other services 3.8% lower, which roughly cancel out.
  • After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $58,219 in Texas and $53,569 in Michigan (8.7% higher in Texas; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
  • Inside each state, metro price levels run from 83.8 in Eagle Pass, TX to 103.1 in Dallas, TX (Texas) and from 90.5 in Battle Creek, MI to 100.9 in Ann Arbor, MI (Michigan), US = 100.
  • The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Texas was 3.3% more expensive than Michigan.

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.

Try your own salary

18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both states against the US average (100).

Overall prices are about the same in Michigan and Texas

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

  • Michigan
  • Texas
All items
96.2 97.1
Goods
96.0 98.1
Housing (rents)
82.3 96.5
Utilities
100.2 87.5
Other services
100.9 97.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MichiganTexas
All items96.297.1
Goods96.098.1
Housing (rents)82.396.5
Utilities100.287.5
Other services100.997.1
CategoryMichiganTexasTexas vs Michigan
All items96.297.1+0.9%
Goods96.098.1+2.2%
Housing (rents)82.396.5+17.2%
Utilities100.287.5−12.6%
Other services100.997.1−3.8%
Income per person, adjusted for prices $53,569 $58,219 +8.7%
Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* $4.14 $3.70 −10.6%
Salary to match $75,000 in Michigan $75,000 $75,700 +0.9%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Midwest region average (EIA has no separate Michigan figure).

Cheapest and most expensive places in each state

Michigan

  1. Battle Creek, MI 90.5
  2. Saginaw, MI 90.9
  3. Jackson, MI 91.8
  4. Bay City, MI 91.9
  5. Midland, MI 91.9
  6. Niles, MI 92.4
  7. Muskegon, MI 92.5
  8. South Bend, IN 92.9
  9. Flint, MI 93.0
  10. Traverse City, MI 93.4
  11. Monroe, MI 93.5
  12. Kalamazoo, MI 94.8
  13. Lansing, MI 95.0
  14. Grand Rapids, MI 95.5
  15. Detroit, MI 100.3
  16. Ann Arbor, MI 100.9

Texas

  1. Eagle Pass, TX 83.8
  2. Texarkana, TX 84.0
  3. McAllen, TX 85.9
  4. Brownsville, TX 86.0
  5. Laredo, TX 87.0
  6. Longview, TX 89.5
  7. Wichita Falls, TX 89.5
  8. Victoria, TX 89.8
  9. El Paso, TX 89.9
  10. Beaumont, TX 90.0
  11. Abilene, TX 90.4
  12. College Station, TX 91.0
  13. Killeen, TX 91.1
  14. Lubbock, TX 91.3
  15. Amarillo, TX 91.8
  16. Tyler, TX 92.2
  17. San Angelo, TX 92.5
  18. Waco, TX 92.6
  19. Corpus Christi, TX 92.7
  20. Sherman, TX 93.8
  21. Odessa, TX 93.9
  22. San Antonio, TX 94.7
  23. Midland, TX 95.8
  24. Austin, TX 98.1
  25. Houston, TX 98.6
  26. Dallas, TX 103.1

Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Michigan and Texas has been fairly stable since 2008

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

  • Michigan
  • Texas
US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MichiganTexas
200895.997.1
200996.096.7
201096.297.7
201195.297.0
201295.097.7
201395.298.1
201495.598.4
201593.798.3
201693.698.1
201792.797.4
201894.597.8
201995.498.5
202094.498.8
202194.398.4
202293.697.4
202394.397.1
202496.297.1

Goods

  • Michigan
  • Texas
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MichiganTexas
200895.397.1
200997.796.1
201098.298.1
201198.596.5
201298.297.6
201398.497.6
201498.697.4
201597.897.1
201697.798.4
201797.397.1
201898.597.1
201996.197.9
202095.998.2
202194.798.5
202293.397.2
202395.898.1
202496.098.1

Housing (rents)

  • Michigan
  • Texas
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MichiganTexas
200887.888.0
200985.088.2
201086.889.3
201183.989.7
201283.291.1
201382.791.4
201483.393.6
201580.794.0
201682.495.6
201781.095.2
201880.795.2
201982.095.8
202080.795.8
202180.795.6
202280.897.0
202378.997.5
202482.396.5

Utilities

  • Michigan
  • Texas
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MichiganTexas
200895.8101.4
2009103.396.2
2010104.898.1
2011104.994.4
2012106.493.1
2013105.995.7
201499.394.9
201599.491.1
2016100.091.9
2017101.288.0
2018102.487.5
201998.787.7
2020103.185.0
2021101.786.2
202297.788.7
202399.792.4
2024100.287.5

Other services

  • Michigan
  • Texas
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
MichiganTexas
200899.3100.0
200998.7100.4
201097.8100.3
201196.5100.1
201296.5100.4
201397.0101.0
201497.4101.1
201595.3101.1
201694.699.0
201793.498.9
201896.299.8
201999.2100.5
202098.1101.3
202198.4100.0
202297.998.2
202398.596.6
2024100.997.1

What incomes buy in each state

Income per person after adjusting for prices: $58,219 in Texas, $53,569 in Michigan

Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).

  • Michigan
  • Texas
  • United States

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.

Show the numbers
MichiganTexasUnited States
2008$41,949$46,068$45,816
2009$40,151$43,349$44,204
2010$40,986$44,078$44,808
2011$42,724$46,663$45,957
2012$43,541$47,554$46,796
2013$43,149$47,301$46,358
2014$44,089$48,959$47,661
2015$47,218$48,983$49,396
2016$48,000$47,686$49,828
2017$48,928$49,918$51,006
2018$48,921$51,551$52,242
2019$49,306$52,343$53,683
2020$53,586$53,181$56,514
2021$55,679$56,442$59,365
2022$53,454$56,452$57,104
2023$53,903$57,708$58,088
2024$53,569$58,219$59,195

More

Related state comparisons

What this comparison leaves out

  • Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
  • Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
  • Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
  • Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.

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