A+
17%
Overall NAT. AVG.
4%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
47%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Port Arthur Texas National
Cost of living8392100
Goods & Services9696100
Groceries9695100
Health care10297100
Housing5383100
Transportation9592100
Utilities98102100
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An Overview of Cost of Living in Port Arthur, TX

The cost of living in Port Arthur affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Port Arthur is 83, which is 17% lower than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

Housing expenses can absorb a substantial portion of your net income, sometimes exceeding 30%. Thankfully, Port Arthur stands out by reporting housing costs that are 47.3% lower than the national average. This signifies that both homeownership and rental expenses in this region are considerably more budget-friendly compared to the rest of the country. With such favorable housing affordability, residents of Port Arthur can allocate a more reasonable portion of their income to housing, allowing for greater financial flexibility.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Port Arthur?

The most insightful perspective on a city comes from its residents. We recently surveyed 7 locals to gauge their perception of the cost of living in Port Arthur. The feedback revealed that 71% of respondents found the cost of living to be reasonable, with prices on the decline, while 29% regarded it as notably expensive with prices that continue to rise.

Is Port Arthur Affordable?

Is Port Arthur an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Port Arthur, the median home price is 61.7% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 13.6% lower than the usual rates. Income levels in Port Arthur come in at $55,362, which is 31.9% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Port Arthur?

Healthcare: Healthcare expenses and insurance premiums can vary significantly depending on the specific city or state. Factors such as accessibility to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's visits, dental care expenses, prescription costs and specialized medical care fees can all influence the overall cost of living. In Port Arthur, healthcare costs are 2.1% higher than the national average.

Housing: Elevated demand for housing within coveted locales has the propensity to escalate both property values and rental rates, thereby serving as a primary catalyst for an augmented cost of living. Conversely, areas witnessing diminished housing demand, particularly within less desirable environs, often experience an inversely proportional effect, leading to price reductions and subsequently contributing to a more modest cost of living. In Port Arthur, the housing index is 47.3% lower than the national average.

Urbanization: Larger, urban hubs brimming with ample amenities and robust employment opportunities often showcase a heightened cost of living. This surge is primarily attributed to the amplified demand for services and increased residential migration, culminating in elevated home prices and elevated rental rates. Conversely, less densely populated rural locales or regions characterized by reduced demand tend to offer a more limited array of amenities and undergo slower job market growth, ultimately yielding a more affordable cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The Port Arthur cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Port Arthur is 10% lower than the Texas average
  • The cost of living in Port Arthur is 17% lower than the national average
  • Port Arthur housing is 47% lower than the national average
  • Texas general sales tax is 22% higher than the national average
  • Texas state income tax is 100% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Port Arthur

See all the best places to live around Port Arthur

Compare Port Arthur, TX Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$75,306$6,276$1,757$2,259
      Renters$39,920$3,327$931$1,198
      The affordability of the housing market in Port Arthur, TX as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Port Arthur homeowners, the median income is $75,306. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $1,757 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $39,920. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $931 for their rent related monthly costs.

      Texas Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      Texas 6.25% 8.25%

      Texas Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      Texas 0% 0%

      Goods & Services

      Item Port Arthur National avg. Difference
      Haircut $27.22$27.621.4%
      Beauty Salon $44.17$51.1113.6%
      Toothpaste $4.22$4.093.1%
      Shampoo $1.48$1.544.0%
      Movie $11.79$12.888.5%
      Yoga $17.44$19.6611.3%

      Groceries

      Item Port Arthur National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.97$7.709.5%
      Fried Chicken $1.61$1.663.1%
      Milk $4.62$4.732.4%
      Potatoes $5.45$5.263.7%
      Pizza $11.40$12.7610.7%
      Beer $10.78$10.552.2%

      Health Care

      Item Port Arthur National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $101.33$140.0627.7%
      Doctor $176.48$153.8214.7%
      Dentist $107.33$123.1512.8%
      Ibuprofen $11.40$11.732.8%
      Lipitor $27.50$23.6116.5%

      Housing

      Item Port Arthur National avg. Difference
      Home Price $125,209.00$326,622.0061.7%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,105.56$2,480.2515.1%
      Apartment Rent $1,247.00$1,444.0013.6%

      Transportation

      Item Port Arthur National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $2.85$3.066.9%
      Tire Balancing $64.16$65.211.6%

      Utilities

      Item Port Arthur National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $210.32$220.124.5%
      Phone $202.01$195.713.2%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      West Orange, TX3,3568416.2%
      Orange, TX18,9268712.8%
      Beaumont, TX120,0379010.2%
      Groves, TX15,865919.3%
      Bridge City, TX8,123946.4%
      Port Arthur, TX56,3628316.7%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Gilroy, CA56,37118686.5%
      Rocky Mount, NC56,3468811.9%
      Lenexa, KS56,38811313.4%
      Bel Air South, MD56,44412221.8%
      West Haven, CT56,25811110.8%
      Port Arthur, TX56,3628316.7%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2025 and was released from C2ER in January, 2026; this is the most current data available.