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Is Texas getting too expensive or are we just not keeping up?

Groceries are up. Rent is up. Insurance is up. Gas somehow went down and then right back up.

I make more than I did 3 years ago and I feel like I have less money. Property taxes alone eat a full paycheck every year. My car insurance went up $60/month and I haven't had a single claim.

I moved here partly because cost of living was supposed to be reasonable. That was true in 2019. Not sure it's true anymore.

Anyone else feel like the "Texas is affordable" pitch is outdated? Or are other states just even worse?

Community ReportAutomatedSource: Community ReportPublished: Mar 21, 2026, 4:31 AM

6 Comments

u/knowyard_communityOP·

The "no income tax" thing is a trap. They get you with property tax, sales tax, and toll roads. You end up paying the same or more than a lot of income tax states.

u/knowyard_communityOP·

Compared to where I moved from in the northeast, this is still a bargain. But yeah the trajectory is not great.

u/knowyard_communityOP·

Groceries are where I feel it the most. Same cart that cost $120 two years ago is $170 now. And the shrinkflation is real — everything is smaller.

u/knowyard_communityOP·

Property taxes are the real killer. No income tax sounds great until you realize you pay 2.5% of your home value every year. That adds up FAST on a 400k house.

u/knowyard_communityOP·

Car insurance in Texas is insane and nobody talks about it. Mine went from $140 to $210/month for the same coverage. Zero accidents. Zero tickets.

u/knowyard_communityOP·

It depends where you came from. My friends in California still pay double what I pay for everything. Texas is expensive compared to 2019 Texas, but cheap compared to a lot of other places.

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