Cost of living, taxes, and quality of life compared for 2026 — with a verdict.
New York vs Texas comes down to what you value. Texas is the more affordable of the two — its cost of living runs about 36% lower than New York, so the same paycheck stretches further. New York ranks higher overall on our Best Life Rank (#35 vs #42), balancing cost against quality of life. New York is strongest on schools and weakest on climate; Texas is strongest on economy and weakest on healthcare.
| Metric | New York | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| BLISS score (cost) | 1.38 38% above average | 0.89 12% below average |
| Best Life Rank | #35 | #42 |
| Cost of living | #47 | #15 |
| Climate | #27 | #40 |
| Healthcare | #12 | #48 |
| Schools | #6 | #32 |
| Safety | #26 | #41 |
| Economy | #23 | #3 |
| Air quality | #25 | #41 |
Ranks are out of 50 states (#1 = best). BLISS score is a cost-of-living multiplier where 1.00 = the U.S. average; lower is cheaper. Green = the better of the two.
To live the way $100,000 does in New York, you'd need about $64,000 in Texas.
To live the way $100,000 does in Texas, you'd need about $156,500 in New York.
Based on each state's BLISS cost score. See your real after-tax paycheck in each state below.
Enter your salary and get your actual paycheck after New York taxes.
Calculate my take-home pay ›Enter your salary and get your actual paycheck after Texas taxes.
Calculate my take-home pay ›Texas is cheaper. Its cost of living is about 36% lower, reflected in a BLISS score of 0.89 versus 1.38. A lower BLISS score means your paycheck goes further.
On our Best Life Rank, which balances cost against climate, healthcare, schools, safety, economy and air quality, New York ranks higher (#35 vs #42). But 'better' depends on your priorities — New York leads on schools while Texas leads on economy.
Because of the cost-of-living difference, $100,000 in New York is roughly equivalent to $64,000 in Texas for the same lifestyle. See each state's real after-tax take-home pay with our paycheck guides linked above.