How much does it cost to live comfortably in Texas? The key word is "comfortably."
The cost of living is low in most parts of Texas when compared to many other states, but one expert says the average, especially in the cities, seems high but depends on a lot of factors.
That comfortable lifestyle comes at a cost of about $90,000 -- that's how much the average Texan must earn per year to keep that lifestyle going.
And for a family of four, that number is now about $200,000 a year in earnings.
But to top it off, those two totals are $6,000 ad $9,000 more than the average just one year ago.
There are a number of reasons for the Texas cost of living, WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo says.
Inflation is indeed a factor, "but it's relative when taken into comparison against other factors," he adds.
One of the most overlooked factors is the fast growth the state has been seeing over the past few years, which increases competition enormously, raising the costs of everything from homes and car insurance to auto repairs, gasoline prices and supermarket costs.
"Now Texas is right up there in terms of, in fact it was second overall in terms of economic activity."
And when an economy heats up the way parts of Texas have been, the results can often be an economy that overheats and drives up prices considerably.