Cost of Living
C2ER THE COUNCIL FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH - From the ACCRA Cost of Living Index (COLI)
First Quarter 2008
Comparison of the Ten Ranked Most Expensive Cities/Metropolitan Areas to Live in to Houston, Texas
(Cities/Metro areas are listed in alphabetical order)
RANK |
URBAN
AREAS |
100 % Composite
Index |
12.4 % Grocery Items |
28.84% Hous
ing |
9.4% Utili
ties |
10.73%
Trans
por
tation |
4.07%
Health
care |
32.93%
Miscel
lan
eous Goods
& Services |
1 |
New York (Manhattan) NY |
218.8 |
141.0 |
404.9 |
150.1 |
124.8 |
129.1 |
142.0 |
2 |
San Francisco CA |
173.6 |
131.4 |
292.7 |
96.6 |
114.5 |
118.6 |
131.1 |
3 |
Honolulu HI |
165.3 |
164.0 |
249.1 |
138.5 |
117.1 |
109.8 |
120.5 |
4 |
New York (Queens) |
155.7 |
141.1 |
229.8 |
133.7 |
112.6 |
109.3 |
120.6 |
5 |
San Jose CA |
154.3 |
140.8 |
246.0 |
100.3 |
113.1 |
117.8 |
110.5 |
6 |
Orange County CA |
153.7 |
111.3 |
268.2 |
93.8 |
107.4 |
114.2 |
104.2 |
7 |
Stamford CT |
153.5 |
124.2 |
229.5 |
136.9 |
112.2 |
118.5 |
118.7 |
8 |
Nassau County NY |
152.7 |
114.1 |
240.6 |
132.1 |
108.1 |
116.8 |
112.7 |
9 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach CA |
150.3 |
111.4 |
256.5 |
96.9 |
111.0 |
108.9 |
102.8 |
10 |
Oakland CA |
150.1 |
133.9 |
228.4 |
86.8 |
111.5 |
121.3 |
120.6 |
N/A |
Houston –Sugar Land–Baytown TX (Metro) Houston, TX |
90.3 |
82.8 |
76.2 |
95.9 |
98.2 |
101.1 |
100.3 |
C2ER THE COUNCIL FOR COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC RESEARCH
ACCRA Cost of Living Index (COLI)
First Quarter 2008 (Extract from Press Release)
National Average for 311 Urban Areas = 100
(Comparing the Houston, Texas and its lower cost-of-living
rating to the 1 – 10th Ranked Most Expensive Urban Areas)
RANKING |
URBAN AREAS |
COL INDEX (100% COMPOSITE) |
1 |
New York (Manhattan) NY |
218.8 |
2 |
San Francisco CA |
173.6 |
3 |
Honolulu HI |
165.3 |
4 |
New York (Queens) |
155.7 |
5 |
San Jose CA |
154.3 |
6 |
Orange County CA |
153.7 |
7 |
Stamford CT |
153.5 |
8 |
Nassau County NY |
152.7 |
9 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach CA |
150.3 |
10 |
Oakland CA |
150.1 |
N/A |
Houston –Sugar Land–Baytown TX (Metro) Houston, TX |
90.3
|
A CLOSER LOOK AT GROCERY STORE ITEMS – HOUSTON, TEXAS COMPARED TO TEN MOST EXPENSIVE URBAN AREAS. Texas cities frequently rate among the least expensive in the index and prices are often below the national average for items found in the grocery store. Here’s a snapshot of prices for items in Houston, Texas (prices average estimate 2008Q1 – 2007Q1 compared to ten most expensive areas).
RANKING |
URBAN AREA |
T-BONE STEAK |
DOZEN EGGS |
POTATOES |
CASCADE |
FROZEN MEAL |
1 |
New York (Manhattan) |
$12.38 |
$2.68 |
$5.41 |
$5.97 |
$3.81 |
2 |
San Francisco CA |
$9.52 |
$3.24 |
$3.99 |
$5.94 |
$4.06 |
3 |
Honolulu HI |
$9.90 |
$2.95 |
$6.32 |
$5.86 |
$4.07 |
4 |
New York (Queens) |
$10.41 |
$2.26 |
$4.44 |
$5.19 |
$4.01 |
5 |
San Jose CA |
$10.79 |
$2.69 |
$3.73 |
$5.32 |
$4.48 |
6 |
Orange County CA |
$9.27 |
$2.19 |
$3.92 |
$4.96 |
$2.87 |
7 |
Stamford CT |
$10.35 |
$2.08 |
$5.04 |
$4.77 |
$3.07 |
8 |
Nassau County NY |
$10.09 |
$1.88 |
$4.88 |
$5.23 |
$3.41 |
9 |
LA-Long Beach CA |
$9.58 |
$2.82 |
$4.07 |
$4.69 |
$2.20 |
10 |
Oakland CA |
$9.69 |
$3.45 |
$3.99 |
$5.99 |
$4.00 |
N/A |
Houston TX |
$6.70 |
$1.49 |
$3.54 |
$3.69 |
$1.96 |
The ACCRA Cost of Living Index measures differences in the cost of consumer goods and services, excluding taxes and non-consumer expenditures, for professional and managerial households in the top quintile. It is based on more than 50,000 prices covering 60 different items for which prices are collected quarterly by chambers of commerce, economic development organizations or university applied economic centers in each participating urban area. Small difference should not be interpreted as showing a measurable difference.
The composite index is based on six components – housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services.
Visit www.coli.org to Compare Affordable Houston Cost of Living to COL
in Other Major Metropolitan Areas/Cities
