Cost of Living in Laredo, TX
Laredo, TX — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Laredo, TX to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Laredo, TX?
With a price level of 87.0 (U.S. average = 100), Laredo, TX is one of the most affordable places in the country. In detail, housing costs are 40% 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 Laredo, TX vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 87.0 | −13.0% |
| Housing | 59.7 | −40.3% |
| Goods | 93.8 | −6.2% |
| Utilities | 80.6 | −19.4% |
| Other services | 96.2 | −3.8% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Laredo, TX
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $956 | $38,240/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $962 | $38,480/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,161 | $46,440/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,499 | $59,960/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,551 | $62,040/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Laredo, 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 Laredo, TX | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $34,800 | $30,142 |
| $60,000 | $52,200 | $44,123 |
| $80,000 | $69,600 | $57,794 |
| $100,000 | $87,000 | $70,035 |
| $150,000 | $130,400 | $100,394 |
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 Laredo, TX's median wage of $37,250 takes home about $2,676 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $962, which is 36% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $1,714 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Laredo, TX
- Federal income tax$2,290
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,310
- Medicare (1.45%)$540
- Texas income tax$0
- Take-home pay$32,110
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Laredo, TX
| Job | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations Manager | $78,640 | $64,153 | $73,777 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver | $49,010 | $41,560 | $47,794 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | $32,480 | $28,278 | $32,520 |
| Office Clerks, General | $30,640 | $26,799 | $30,819 |
| Retail Salesperson | $27,530 | $24,281 | $27,923 |
| Cashier | $26,970 | $23,820 | $27,393 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aide | $23,510 | $20,970 | $24,116 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $23,030 | $20,575 | $23,662 |
*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.
Laredo, TX vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laredo, TX | 87.0 | $962 | $37,250 | 109,370 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | 87.7 | $943 | $45,220 | 108,460 |
| Bend, OR | 103.6 | $1,297 | $54,570 | 108,240 |
| Columbia, MO | 89.4 | $978 | $47,260 | 107,680 |
| Hagerstown, MD | 94.2 | $952 | $47,440 | 107,170 |
| Champaign, IL | 92.7 | $932 | $50,700 | 105,500 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 99.1 | $1,602 | $55,180 | 114,780 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Laredo, TX expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Laredo, TX metro area are 87.0% of the U.S. average, with housing at 59.7%. It is the #355 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Laredo, TX?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $52,174 in Laredo, TX (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $37,250.
Can you afford Laredo, TX on the median wage?
A single worker on the $37,250 median wage takes home about $2,676 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $962 would take 36% of that.
How much is rent in Laredo, TX?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Laredo, TX are $956 for a studio, $962 for one bedroom, $1,161 for two bedrooms and $1,499 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Laredo, TX
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $78,640
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $23,510
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $23,030
Sales and Related Occupations
- Retail Salesperson — $27,530
- Cashier — $26,970
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- Office Clerks, General — $30,640
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $49,010
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $32,480