Cost of Living in Brownsville, TX
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Brownsville, TX to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Brownsville, TX?
With a price level of 86.0 (U.S. average = 100), Brownsville, TX is one of the most affordable places in the country. In detail, housing costs are 42% below average; everyday goods are 6% below average; utilities are 19% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 4% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in housing.
Prices in Brownsville, TX vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 86.0 | −14.0% |
| Housing | 57.7 | −42.3% |
| Goods | 93.8 | −6.2% |
| Utilities | 81.2 | −18.8% |
| Other services | 96.2 | −3.8% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Brownsville, TX
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $773 | $30,920/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $866 | $34,640/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,047 | $41,880/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,414 | $56,560/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,479 | $59,160/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Brownsville, TX
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Brownsville, TX | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $34,400 | $29,820 |
| $60,000 | $51,600 | $43,641 |
| $80,000 | $68,800 | $57,231 |
| $100,000 | $86,000 | $69,331 |
| $150,000 | $129,000 | $99,438 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Texas 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Brownsville, TX's median wage of $36,490 takes home about $2,625 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $866, which is 33% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $1,759 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Brownsville, TX
- Federal income tax$2,199
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,262
- Medicare (1.45%)$529
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$31,500
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Brownsville, TX
| Job | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $81,090 | $65,877 | $76,623 |
| General and Operations Manager | $75,350 | $61,839 | $71,926 |
| Customer Service Representative | $38,350 | $32,994 | $38,377 |
| Stocker and Order Filler | $34,680 | $30,045 | $34,947 |
| Office Clerks, General | $33,310 | $28,945 | $33,666 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $30,650 | $26,807 | $31,180 |
| Retail Salesperson | $27,780 | $24,487 | $28,481 |
| Cashier | $26,250 | $23,227 | $27,016 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aide | $23,500 | $20,962 | $24,382 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $22,500 | $20,139 | $23,424 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $21,010 | $18,912 | $21,997 |
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Texas cities
Half of Texas’s 14,071,160 workers earn less than $48,620 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $35,370–$77,840 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Austin, TX stretches a paycheck furthest, while McAllen, TX is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas, TX | $51,440 | 103.1 | $1,586 | 44% | $2,040 | $42,208 |
| Houston, TX | $49,410 | 98.6 | $1,316 | 38% | $2,174 | $42,463 |
| Austin, TX | $56,950 | 98.1 | $1,562 | 39% | $2,433 | $48,885 |
| San Antonio, TX | $47,010 | 94.7 | $1,171 | 35% | $2,158 | $42,181 |
| El Paso, TX | $39,510 | 89.9 | $1,012 | 36% | $1,815 | $37,733 |
| McAllen, TX | $35,830 | 85.9 | $847 | 33% | $1,734 | $36,055 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $45,350 | 92.7 | $1,115 | 35% | $2,103 | $41,673 |
| Lubbock, TX | $42,130 | 91.3 | $974 | 32% | $2,029 | $39,458 |
| Beaumont, TX | $48,630 | 90.0 | $898 | 26% | $2,540 | $45,815 |
| Brownsville, TX | $36,490 | 86.0 | $866 | 33% | $1,759 | $36,638 |
| Killeen, TX | $46,660 | 91.1 | $982 | 30% | $2,324 | $43,532 |
| College Station, TX | $44,470 | 91.0 | $1,082 | 34% | $2,077 | $41,684 |
| Waco, TX | $46,020 | 92.5 | $966 | 30% | $2,297 | $42,309 |
| Amarillo, TX | $44,580 | 91.8 | $903 | 29% | $2,264 | $41,385 |
| Midland, TX | $54,480 | 95.8 | $1,449 | 38% | $2,381 | $47,978 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Brownsville, TX vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brownsville, TX | 86.0 | $866 | $36,490 | 157,450 |
| Eugene, OR | 101.6 | $1,286 | $49,680 | 157,710 |
| Gulfport, MS | 90.0 | $925 | $43,470 | 158,310 |
| Youngstown, OH | 87.4 | $771 | $43,800 | 160,160 |
| Waterbury, CT | 99.8 | $1,445 | $51,440 | 160,710 |
| Hickory, NC | 88.5 | $908 | $45,220 | 154,090 |
| Roanoke, VA | 93.6 | $1,020 | $47,140 | 153,980 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Brownsville, TX expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area are 86.0% of the U.S. average, with housing at 57.7%. It is the #365 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Brownsville, TX?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $51,585 in Brownsville, TX (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $36,490.
Can you afford Brownsville, TX on the median wage?
A single worker on the $36,490 median wage takes home about $2,625 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $866 would take 33% of that.
How much is rent in Brownsville, TX?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Brownsville, TX are $773 for a studio, $866 for one bedroom, $1,047 for two bedrooms and $1,414 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Brownsville, TX
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $75,350
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $81,090
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $23,500
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $22,500
- Waiter and Waitress — $21,010
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
Sales and Related Occupations
- Retail Salesperson — $27,780
- Cashier — $26,250
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- Customer Service Representative — $38,350
- Office Clerks, General — $33,310
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Stocker and Order Filler — $34,680