Houston voted as the 9th most expensive city to live in the US

The survey measured 200 things that executives spend money on. The list makes sense in that context.

As for the average person, Houston would be way down the list.

 

It's the 9th most expensive, but the 44th cheapest?

http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/14/pf/couple_cities_coli/index.htm

 

Otherwise known as: the most desirable cities to live in.

1. New York, N.Y.
2. Los Angeles, Calif.
4. San Francisco, Calif.
5. Honolulu, Hawaii
6. Miami, Fla.
7. Chicago, Ill.
8. Boston, Mass.
9. Houston, Texas
10. Washington, D.C.

Sounds about right..

 

How do you choose things an executive would get, like a luxury apartment, and then use that as criteria for how expensive a city is?

 

You have to be a masochist to want to live in NY

 

1. Honolulu
2. Santa Barbara
3. Orange County
4. Colorado Springs
5. Portland
6. Seattle
7. Asheville NC
8. Tampa/St. Pete
9. Austin
10 Vancouver (expat)

 

So hookers and drugs are expensive in Houston?

 

Just laughable that DC is below Houston. I can't believe people get paid to make these lists.

 

It's a survey by Forbes for executives. It's based on 250 luxury items. Luxury items won't change that much in price from city to city. The luxury properties in Houston are indeed very expensive. Rent is upwards of $4,000/month for a luxury 2 bedroom. There has been a alot of development of luxury apartments inside the loop for the last few years.

 

this makes no sense. Houston has one of the lower costs of living among major cities, which is why people continue to move here from the northeast. Doesn't matter what criteria they use, anyone who knows anything about Houston knows its a lot cheaper in comparison.

 

I think you left out a 9

 

Exactly my thoughts.

Whatever the criteria or formula used to compile this list, it failed spectacularly.

Cost of living in DC and the greater DC area is ABSURD. Cost of living in Houston, especially relative to DC, is dirt cheap.

Real Estate alone, take a random home in Houston and its twin in DC would cost triple.

 

How so? I live in NY and love it, cost of living be damned!

 

Don't know how they came up with this ... I'm assuming it is city limits only.

I live in San Diego now and I bought a condo here for the same price as my parents bought a massive house on a lake the Houston-area (not city limits).

In no way would I consider Houston an expensive area to live.

 

This list reminds me of my experience moving from Chicago to Houston a decade ago. Somehow, though I started making more money in Houston, it felt like I had a harder time making ends meet. I knew cost of living in Houston was supposed to be lower, but somehow I had an easier time keeping costs down in Chicago. Still, I don't believe this list.

 

What costs specifically were easier for you to manage in Chicago than in Houston?

 

LOL! Buen chiste, ché.

 

DC metro area is way more expensive than H-town.

 

Rent was more expensive in Chicago but we had a really nice (small) place. Some of the difference came in not having a car. That means we didn't spend money on gas, upkeep and insurance but it also means I didn't have a way to drive around and buy a lot of unnecessary stuff. Shopping for clothes or anything else was an ordeal. Going out was also a pain in the winter and even in the summer we were less inclined to go out too late or we'd have to take a cab home. Most of our friends seemed to feel the same so much of our social life consisted of hanging out with friends at someone's apartment and I can't remember going out to dinner with a large group of friends more than a couple times in seven years. Not going out for lunch so much and not having any easy access to places like Target meant we had more money for weekend getaways to Michigan or Wisconsin.