Essentials
- City
- Houston, Texas, United States
- Population
- Approximately 2.3 million (metro area ~7.1 million)
- Internet Speed
- Average 200 Mbps; Xfinity, AT&T Fiber, and Verizon Fios offer speeds up to 1 Gbps
- Currency & Banking
- US Dollar (USD); 1 USD ≈ 1 USD. Major banks: Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo; online banks: Revolut, Wise, Chime
- Tap Water
- Drinkable, but may have a slight taste due to chlorine; many use filters
- Power
- 120V, 60Hz; Type A and B sockets (US plugs)
- SIM Card
- T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T; prepaid plans from $30/month (e.g., Mint Mobile, Visible)
- Banking for Expats
- Revolut, Wise, Chime; local banks: Chase, Bank of America (easy to open with ITIN or visa)
- Accommodation
- Airbnb, Vrbo, Booking.com; short-term rentals via Furnished Finder, Zillow, ApartmentList
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, credit/debit cards widely accepted; Apple Pay and Google Pay common
- Short Term Rentals
- Airbnb (avg $120/night for studio), Vrbo, Sonder (e.g., Sonder Midtown, $2,500/month)
- Budget Accommodation
- HI Houston Hostel ($35/night dorm); private rooms in motels near I-45 ($60/night)
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Downtown Houston (closest to attractions like Space Center Houston and Museum District)
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Montrose, Midtown, or The Heights (vibrant, walkable, coworking spaces)
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- WeWork Houston (various locations: 609 Main St, $299/month hot desk); Common Desk (1415 Louisiana St, $250/month)
- Best Cafe for Work
- Siphon Coffee (701 W Alabama St, good WiFi, quiet); Blacksmith (1018 Westheimer Rd, popular among remote workers)
- Networking Events
- Weekly tech meetups at The Ion (4200 Main St); Houston Digital Nomads Facebook group monthly meetups at BRC (Big Rock Cafe)
- Social Events for Expats
- Houston Expats Meetup (meetup.com/Houston-Expats); International Festival at Discovery Green (annual, April)
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Uber, Lyft (both widely available); FREENOW also operates.
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- BCycle (Houston Bike Share, $5 single ride, $12/day); Lime and Bird scooters
- Best Beach Nearby
- Galveston Beach (approx 50 miles south, 1 hour drive); East Beach, Stewart Beach
- Top Regional Airline
- United Airlines (hub at IAH); Southwest, American, Delta
- Top International Airline
- United, Emirates, British Airways, Lufthansa (non-stop to London, Frankfurt, Dubai)
- Highway Access
- I-45, I-10, US-59 (I-69), and Sam Houston Tollway
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Houston Intercontinental Airport (IAH) and William P. Hobby (HOU); METRO light rail (Downtown Transit Center)
- Public Transport Passes
- METRO Day Pass $3, Monthly Pass $65; METRO Q Card for buses and light rail
- Regional Travel
- Greyhound, FlixBus (to Austin, Dallas); Amtrak (Sunset Limited to San Antonio) from Houston Station
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- Houston Methodist Hospital (6565 Fannin St) and Texas Medical Center (world's largest)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- YogaOne Studios (various locations, drop-in $20); Big Power Yoga (1811 Westheimer Rd)
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Planet Fitness ($10/month), 24 Hour Fitness ($30/month), Lifetime Fitness (Midtown, $130/month)
- Laundry Services
- Wash & Dry Laundromat (multiple locations, $4 per load); Fluff & Fold services in Montrose (e.g., Suds & Duds, $1.50/lb)
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- Uber Eats, DoorDash, Grubhub; also Favor (Texas-based)
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Texas BBQ brisket (e.g., Killen's BBQ, 3613 E Broadway); breakfast tacos (Torchy's Tacos)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Green Seed Vegan (2100 Bissonnet St), Truth Vegan (12345 Jones Rd), The Vegan Variety
- Best Dessert Spots
- Dessert Gallery (3600 Kirby Dr); The Chocolate Bar (1831 Westheimer Rd); Sweet Paris Creperie (multiple locations)
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- H-E-B (grocery chain), Central Market, Aldi; Houston Farmers Market (2520 Airline Dr, weekends)
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Amazon, Walmart, Target; B&H Photo for electronics
- Grocery Delivery
- Instacart (from H-E-B, Kroger); Amazon Fresh; Walmart+ delivery
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Midtown (Main St between W Gray and Alabama), Washington Avenue, Rice Military
- Local Brewery
- Saint Arnold Brewing Company (2000 Lyons Ave); Karbach Brewing (2032 Karbach St)
- Wine Bars
- 13 Celsius (3000 Caroline St); The Wine Exchange (1111 W 11th St)
- Street Food Stalls
- The Conservatory (1010 Prairie St, downtown food hall); Finn Hall (712 Main St)
- Popular International Cuisine
- Vietnam: Pho Saigon (multiple locations); Mexican: Hugo’s (1600 Westheimer Rd); Indian: Udipi Cafe (5600 Hillcroft Ave)
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Space Center Houston (1601 NASA Pkwy), The Galleria (largest mall in Texas), Buffalo Bayou Park
- Museums & Art Venues
- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (1001 Bissonnet St), Houston Museum of Natural Science (5555 Hermann Park Dr)
- Historical Sites
- San Jacinto Monument (1 Monument Cir), The Alamo (though in San Antonio, day trip)
- Religious Sites
- St. Martin's Episcopal Church (717 Sage Rd), The Rothko Chapel (3900 Yupon St)
- Annual Events
- Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (March), Free Press Summer Fest (June, cancelled after 2019 but replaced by similar events)
- Cultural Districts
- Museum District (around Hermann Park), Montrose (artsy, LGBTQ-friendly), The Heights (historic homes, indie shops)
- Theater Venues
- Hobby Center for the Performing Arts (800 Bagby St), Alley Theatre (615 Texas Ave)
- Local Markets
- Houston Farmers Market (2520 Airline Dr, weekends); The Vintage Park (weekend artisan market)
- Music Scene
- House of Blues (1204 Caroline St), White Oak Music Hall (2915 N Main), Warehouse Live (813 St Emanuel St)
- Street Art
- The Houston Graffiti Building (various walls in EaDo); East End Street Art (on Navigation Blvd)
- Cooking Classes
- Sur La Table (multiple locations, $79/class); Central Market Cooking School (3815 Westheimer Rd)
- Art Galleries
- The Menil Collection (1533 Sul Ross St), Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University (6100 Main St)
- Historic Buildings
- The Julia Ideson Building (500 McKinney St, historic library), Houston City Hall (901 Bagby St)
- Local Heritage
- Space City (NASA), oil and gas industry, cowboy culture, and multiculturalism (Vietnamese, Mexican, African American communities)
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Buffalo Bayou Park (1800 Allen Pkwy, trails, kayaking); Memorial Park (6501 Memorial Dr, 1,500 acres)
- National Parks Nearby
- Big Thicket National Preserve (~1.5 hours east); Padre Island National Seashore (~5 hours south)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Buffalo Bayou Trail (10 miles), Terry Hershey Park Trail (22 miles), White Oak Bayou Trail (10 miles)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Sabine Promenade (on Buffalo Bayou downtown), Houston Skyline view from Eleanor Tinsley Park
- Birdwatching Locations
- Brazos Bend State Park (35 miles south, alligators and birds), Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary (440 Wilchester Blvd)
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Lake Houston Wilderness Park (25840 FM 1485, designated fire rings); Galveston Island State Park (14701 FM 3005)
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- USPS, UPS, FedEx; Amazon Locker locations (e.g., Whole Foods at 701 Waugh Dr)
- Tech Repair Services
- uBreakiFix (multiple locations, e.g., 3200 Westheimer Rd #100); Apple Store at The Galleria (5085 Westheimer Rd)
- Table Tennis Spots
- Houston Table Tennis Academy (6830 Club Creek Dr); NCC Table Tennis (6200 Corporate Dr)
- Language Classes
- Berlitz Houston (5151 San Felipe St #300), Alliance Française de Houston (427 Lovett Blvd)
- Libraries & Study Spots
- Houston Public Library's Central Library (500 McKinney St), Fondren Library at Rice University (open to public)
- Community Centers
- Montrose Center (401 Branard St, LGBTQ+ hub), Jewish Community Center (5601 S Braeswood Blvd)
- Gaming Lounges
- Game Axe Throwing (not gaming but arcade); Astro Gaming Lounge (8910 Westpark Dr)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- No casinos in Houston; land-based gaming at Louisiana casinos (e.g., L'Auberge Baton Rouge, ~1.5 hours)
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $3,200 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = $128,000) average in Downtown/Midtown
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $1,800 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = $72,000) in suburbs like Katy or Sugar Land
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $3,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = $180,000) in Downtown or Montrose
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $1,600 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = $96,000) in suburbs
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $2,800 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $224,000) in Midtown
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $1,400 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $112,000) in Cypress or Pearland
- Corporate Tax
- 21% federal; Texas has no state corporate income tax, but has franchise tax (0.375%-0.75%)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 30% for non-resident aliens (subject to tax treaties); for US citizens/residents, qualified dividends taxed at 0-20%
- Tax System
- Worldwide income for US citizens and residents; Texas has no state income tax
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 37% federal (for income over $578,125 in 2025, indexed); no state income tax
- VAT
- No VAT (US uses sales tax; Houston city + county sales tax 8.25%)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- Yes, strict Subpart F and GILTI rules apply to US shareholders of foreign corporations
- Property Tax
- Texas has high property tax (~2.5% of assessed value annually, varies by county)
- Property Transaction Tax
- No state transfer tax; local recording fees and title insurance (about 1-2% of sale price)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- No state income tax is attractive; however, US citizens are taxed on worldwide income regardless. Digital nomads with foreign earned income may use the Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE) up to $126,500 (2024 indexed) if they meet physical presence or bona fide residence tests.