Moving to Texas from Missouri

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What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Missouri to Texas — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Missouri to Texas, you would find that Texas is 7.1% more expensive than Missouri. A $75,000 salary in Missouri would need to be roughly $81,065 in Texas to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Austin averages 79°F vs 66°F in Columbia, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Missouri to Texas.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $81,065

To maintain the same standard of living in Texas

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 9.2% more

Groceries

pay 3.0% less

Transportation

pay 2.8% less

Housing

pay 16.6% more

Childcare

pay 10.6% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 10.9% more

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

How Missouri and Texas stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
453
TX
391
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
2070
TX
2153

Missouri generally does better on safety, though Texas leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MO
8.9%
TX
16.0%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MO
37.5%
TX
36.8%

Missouri generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Texas leads in adult obesity rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MO
$215,600
TX
$260,400
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MO
$996
TX
$1,339

Missouri performs better than Texas across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MO
88.3%
TX
90.1%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MO
24 min
TX
27 min

Missouri generally does better on infrastructure, though Texas leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MO
3.3%
TX
3.9%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MO
$56,344
TX
$70,071

Missouri generally does better on employment & economy, though Texas leads in gdp per capita.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MO
75.1 yrs
TX
76.5 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MO
22%
TX
20%

Missouri generally does better on family life, though Texas leads in life expectancy.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

ColumbiaRain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66°/46°F

Avg. annual high / low

AustinRain: 36.2 in/yr (920 mm)
79°/55°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsColumbiaAustin
Jan–Mar47°/28°F (8°/-2°C)65°/40°F (18°/5°C)
Apr–Jun76°/55°F (24°/13°C)85°/63°F (29°/17°C)
Jul–Sep86°/65°F (30°/18°C)93°/70°F (34°/21°C)
Oct–Dec55°/36°F (13°/2°C)71°/47°F (22°/8°C)
View all months
MonthColumbiaAustin
Jan40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C)61°/37°F (15.9°/2.9°C)
Feb45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C)64°/39°F (17.6°/3.8°C)
Mar56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C)71°/45°F (21.6°/7.4°C)
Apr67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C)79°/55°F (25.9°/12.8°C)
May75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C)85°/64°F (29.7°/17.7°C)
Jun85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C)91°/70°F (32.8°/21.0°C)
Jul90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C)94°/72°F (34.7°/22.3°C)
Aug88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C)96°/72°F (35.4°/22.1°C)
Sep80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C)90°/67°F (32.3°/19.2°C)
Oct68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C)81°/57°F (27.3°/13.7°C)
Nov55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C)71°/47°F (21.4°/8.4°C)
Dec42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°C)62°/38°F (16.5°/3.4°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Texas than Missouri?

Day-to-day costs in Texas run about 8% higher than Missouri on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Texas?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a $75,000 comparable salary, that's around $20,266 in Texas for everyday spending, before movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Texas safe?

Missouri generally does better on safety, though Texas leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Texas compared to Missouri?

Missouri generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Texas leads in adult obesity rate.

What's the weather like in Texas compared to Missouri?

The average high temperature in Austin is 79°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Austin receives around 36.2 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.

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