"Comparing Purchasing Power: Houston vs. New York vs. Nashville"

A recent study by SmartAsset found that a person needs to earn three times the salary to afford the same lifestyle in New York as they would in Houston. SmartAsset looked at salaries, taxes, and the cost of living in 76 U.S. cities to see how much a resident with a six-figure salary would have to earn to actually have $100K worth of purchasing power. Texas is home to many better-value locales, including San Antonio, El Paso, and Corpus Cristi. A person living in Houston needs just $125,300 to feel like they "made it." However, cheaper cities may not retain their cost advantages in the long term.