Cost of Living Comparison Between The Woodlands, TX and Ashford Cost of Living Comparison Between The Woodlands, TX and Ashford

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,128 in The Woodlands, TX versus $2,268 in Ashford.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,152 in The Woodlands, TX versus $3,164 in Ashford.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,177 in The Woodlands, TX versus $4,060 in Ashford.

Living in The Woodlands, TX is roughly 38% more expensive than Ashford, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: The Woodlands, TX 133% above, Ashford 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.93 $19.93

$19.98 £14.88

-0.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.3 $75.3

$95.0 £70.8

-20.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.86 $9.86

$10.91 £8.13

-9.62%

Cappuccino

$4.54 $4.54

$4.01 £2.99

13.22%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.86 £2.13

-11.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.97 £1.47

6.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.46 $5.46

$6.21 £4.62

-12.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.44 $6.44

$6.27 £4.67

2.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.88 £1.40

-41.49%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.46 £1.09

133.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$2.82 £2.10

19.86%

Eggs

$4.34 $4.34

$3.75 £2.79

15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.99 $11.99

$6.03 £4.50

98.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.42 $10.42

$6.83 £5.09

52.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.49 $14.49

$13.04 £9.72

11.12%

Apples (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$3.31 £2.47

44.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.97 £1.47

-41.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$3.72 £2.77

20.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$3.54 £2.64

11.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.97 £1.46

16.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.10 £1.57

31.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.38 $1.38

$1.21 £0.90

14.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.46 £1.09

-9.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.14 $9.14

$19.80 £14.75

-53.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$9.53 £7.10

55.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 $2.35

$3.51 £2.62

-33.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 $1.53

$4.25 £3.16

-64.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$3.34 £2.49

-41.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.7 £66.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.29 $4.29

$6.91 £5.15

-37.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.56 £1.16

13.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.18 $35.18

$53.3 £39.69

-33.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.95 £1.45

-61.54%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$23.1K $23.1K

$24.9K £18.6K

-7.30%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.6K $20.6K

$26.3K £19.6K

-21.79%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$171 $171

$252 £188

-32.27%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$59.6 $59.6

$15.62 £11.64

281.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.26 $49.26

$33.76 £25.15

45.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.31 $34.31

$59.4 £44.25

-42.24%

Cinema Ticket

$14.74 $14.74

$16.51 £12.30

-10.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,399 $1,399

$2,296 £1,711

-39.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.1K $22.1K

$22.8K £17.0K

-3.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 $55.1

$88.3 £65.8

-37.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.63 $45.63

$29.50 £21.98

54.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.4 $84.4

$85.7 £63.9

-1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$91.6 £68.2

30.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 $1,823

$1,293 £963

40.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,917 $1,917

$995 £741

92.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,005 $3,005

$1,866 £1,390

61.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,469 $2,469

$1,283 £956

92.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,848 $1,848

$6,583 £4,905

-71.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,902 $1,902

$4,754 £3,542

-59.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,425 $7,425

$2,481 £1,849

199.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.54

16.43%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for The Woodlands, TX: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ashford: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,823 in The Woodlands, TX and $1,293 in Ashford. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

The Woodlands, TX pays 199% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75.0 in The Woodlands, TX vs $95.0 in Ashford. Groceries flip the comparison at $354 vs $290, with Ashford cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

The Woodlands, TX vs Ashford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ashford is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

The Woodlands, TX pays 199% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,823 in The Woodlands, TX versus $1,293 in Ashford. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,399 in The Woodlands, TX versus $2,296 in Ashford. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ashford – a meal for two runs $95.0 versus $75.0 in The Woodlands, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,268 in Ashford versus $3,128 in The Woodlands, TX, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Ashford but tight or insufficient in The Woodlands, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Ashford the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, The Woodlands, TX and Ashford are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ashford gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in The Woodlands, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.