The cost of living in Texas is 5% lower than the national average but that doesn’t mean it’s cheap. An annual income of $50,861 is the bare minimum required to be middle class in the Lone Star State — a lot more than what’s needed in some other Southern states, including Tennessee, West Virginia and Louisiana.
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So what about those not in the middle-class bracket? You actually have more options in Texas than you do in some other states. For example, our research on where you can live in California on $2,500 a month determined only nine possible cities. Below are 15 places where it’s possible to get by on $2,200 per month based on average monthly costs of rent, groceries, healthcare and utilities.
15. Longview
- Average monthly rent: $1,216
- Average monthly groceries cost: $322
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $355
- Average monthly utilities cost: $289
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,181
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14. Laredo
- Average monthly rent: $1,203
- Average monthly groceries cost: $322
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $349
- Average monthly utilities cost: $294
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,169
13. Leon Valley
- Average monthly rent: $1,170
- Average monthly groceries cost: $320
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $351
- Average monthly utilities cost: $284
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,125
12. Nacogdoches
- Average monthly rent: $1,113
- Average monthly groceries cost: $321
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $390
- Average monthly utilities cost: $298
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,122
11. Harlingen
- Average monthly rent: $1,159
- Average monthly groceries cost: $315
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $367
- Average monthly utilities cost: $267
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,108
10. Universal City
- Average monthly rent: $1,132
- Average monthly groceries cost: $322
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $351
- Average monthly utilities cost: $291
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,096
9. Canyon
- Average monthly rent: $1,071
- Average monthly groceries cost: $332
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $370
- Average monthly utilities cost: $284
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,057
8. Weslaco
- Average monthly rent: $1,111
- Average monthly groceries cost: $314
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $359
- Average monthly utilities cost: $268
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,053
7. Orange
- Average monthly rent: $1,058
- Average monthly groceries cost: $319
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $397
- Average monthly utilities cost: $278
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,051
6. Alton
- Average monthly rent: $1,092
- Average monthly groceries cost: $318
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $359
- Average monthly utilities cost: $269
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,038
5. Pharr
- Average monthly rent: $1,059
- Average monthly groceries cost: $314
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $357
- Average monthly utilities cost: $268
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,000
4. Edinburg
- Average monthly rent: $1,049
- Average monthly groceries cost: $320
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $359
- Average monthly utilities cost: $269
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $1,997
3. Port Arthur
- Average monthly rent: $1,037
- Average monthly groceries cost: $309
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $361
- Average monthly utilities cost: $282
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $1,988
2. Bay City
- Average monthly rent: $831
- Average monthly groceries cost: $334
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $387
- Average monthly utilities cost: $280
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $1,832
1. Clute
- Average monthly rent: $820
- Average monthly groceries cost: $336
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $340
- Average monthly utilities cost: $288
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $1,784
Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the cities in Texas where one can live on $2,500 a month. GOBankingRates first isolated all cities in Texas with a 2025 average monthly rent under $1,800. GOBankingRates then used Sperling’s Best to find the cost of living index for each listed city, looking at grocery, utilities and healthcare index scores. Next, GOBankingRates used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the annual expenditure amount for both grocery (“food at home”), utilities (utilities and public services) and healthcare costs in order to find how much one would spend on groceries, utilities and healthcare in each city on a monthly basis. GOBankingRates then added monthly housing, grocery, utilities and healthcare costs together to find where one can live on $2,500 a month in Texas. All data was collected and is up to date as of July 2, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Where To Live on $2,200 a Month in Texas
