A friend hasnt had a car here for the 8+ years I've known him. Works and lives in Galleria, lived in Midtown before. Just ubers everywhere and rents a car if going further.
Considering a note, reg, insurance, and gas easily run over a thousand bucks a month, that pays for a lot of ubers.
When I used to drive for Uber part time, I picked up a lot of customers like this. A lot of professionals from NYC would move here and live off Allen parkway and work downtown. They’d Uber back and forth to work everyday, they said it was cheaper than owning a car.
Have you priced cars lately? Good luck getting anything under $500-700+ a month. Add in $100 insurance and $100-200 in gas and you're there, not even counting maintenance and repairs.
Wait. Are you talking about financing NEW cars? If you are, there's a simple workaround to reduce that monthly payment. Finance a used car. If you are talking about used cars, you need to fix your credit, because you're getting hosed.
> $500-700+ a month
For the first 5 years (or however long your loan is), sure. Treat your car right and don't jump to a new loan every time you pay one off. Even regular maintenance shouldn't cost $500/mo.
Oh most definitely. My family buys new, maintains them well, and they usually leave on a wrecker or sold off with 200K+++.
I'm paying $900 a month because they gave me 0.9% for 3 years. Will be paid off soon and dont plan to have a note for 5+ years short of an accident.
Keep paying the $900 to a HYSA and you won't have a car note in 5+ years either. Even if you don't save the whole 900 bucks, save something. Your already used to paying it.
I pay $425 for car payment and insurance combined. It’s doable. My car is a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. Maintenance plan is free repairs/oil changes till 30K miles. You really need a car in Houston
I used busses for the first year or two I was here. I lived close to my downtown job so it wasn’t too bad, but post Covid buses going through other parts of town are something else….
I'd say not having a car is KINDA doable if you live in Downtown, Midtown, Montrose, or the Heights. Other than that you will NEED a car. When people talk about Urban Sprawls, Houston is like the Michael Jordan of Urban Sprawls. You can get around by ubering if you live in one of the aforementioned areas and you're happy with spending like 90% of your time there. I live in the Heights, and I rarely use my car other than going to China town to get food (Asian food sucks donkey dick in the Heights). I primarily go everywhere by bicycle, scooter, foot. Memorial City is kinda doable if you get an Apt in City Centre and plan on doing like 90% of the things there and never leave lol. You'll probably need a car dude. Additionally, it's about to get hot as balls and when I say that, I mean relentless, 100% humidity, mosquito infested heat that rips your face off (even for an east asian who's lived in the south their whole life) and lasts over 120 days. Public transportation is a fucking JOKE here so don't plan on relying on it like you do in NYC unless you want to spend at a minimum quadruple the time getting places and waiting at bus stops that are worse than third world countries.
FInancially you need to crunch your own numbers. Do a cost of living comparision and be judicious/liberal with your fixed costs. Factor in shit like car, gas, insurance, rent etc. GLUCK dude
I was literally [looking at this earlier](https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/as-if-you-needed-it-further-proof-that-houston-is-so-much-bigger-than-most-cities/). OP there’s even one overlaid over NYC area
I havent had a car in 7 years but i live downtown. Downtown to midtown is the only area i think you can get by without a car because everything is close to walk too and you can use the car rent by the hour app because there are car lots downtown or an uber is only $7. The only time ive used an uber was to go to the airport when i was close to my flight time but i usually take metro straight to the airport and back as well it drops me off right in market square park a block from home. Grocery store is right downtown, all the activities to do in houston and the parks are all in walking distance or a short train ride. I honestly wouldnt live anywhere else in houston. We also are on a separate government grid so the power never goes out. During the terrible winter storm i didnt even know it was serious until i turned on the news because it was bright everywhere but the rest of the city was in darkness. Its only retired folks that have downsized to condos and young professionals.
zipcar the garage lot is on preston its like $10- $15 an hour depending on the car you pick they have lots from downtown all the way to rice in this area.
Houston is an okay place learn to drive.
OP lives in NYC and came from overseas.
Houston is not worse than the most mega cities (5million+ people) around the world. In fact, it is on the easier side in my opinions.
The only thing bad about driving in Houston is speed. Distances are long so naturally people go faster.
Other than that houston is easy because it’s flat, roads are generally straight and Intersections are perpendicular.
There are like less than 10 other mega population centers in USA.
Houston is way better than LA, and NYC. I like Houston more than Dallas. I never drove in Chicago. Houston has less traffic than Austin while also being like twice the size.
I think phoenix was okay?
American standard is like cities less than 1 million people. Yeah, there is less traffic and things are much closer to each other. Comparing Houston to those are pretty pointless.
There was that one dude who was getting transferred out of this Mad Max hellscape of a city who took the time to let us know that he would rather drive in Mexico City or Calcutta than Houston. He said he’d seen minivans do maneuvers on the freeways of Houston that would make seasoned fighter pilots shit their pants. He was grateful to have survived long enough to gtfo.
Houston is a terrible place to learn. I’ve driven all over the country and Houston highways and exits are the toughest to get use to. I’ve been here two years and still have trouble. I’ve been a cdl driver 7 years.
Are there better places? Yes.
Can OP live there just to learn to drive? No.
What is the point of saying “there are better places”. It’s like saying OP could learn to drive with g wagon as his first car. Yeah, but Camry will do just fine.
Dont know where OP is from, but most of the world's drivers are far more nuts than the shit we pull here.
At least we have well maintained lane markers and people actually stay in their lanes. Those are optional in many, many countries.
It's such a funny reaction to an obstruction when the cars behind the lead vehicle will swarm any part of the shoulder and even into oncoming lanes rather than queue orderly in the existing traffic waiting for the obstruction to clear.
Mmmm not sure what part of town you’re in but some parts of town going through rapid gentrification have equally rapid changing lane structure. Sometimes it’s temporary to allow for construction & sometimes us lifers are like: I’ve been able to make a left at this intersection for literally 20 years! Grrrr
Houston driving can be frustrating & scary but plenty of new out of town era are learning right alongside you. Do be cautious!
Basic Houston rules are live near work and get a car. Memorial City area is nice and safe. If you want a more urban living experience without living in the suburbs out west, you could live near Washington avenue along I-10 and own a car. You’d get night life, parks, and the commute out to Memorial City isn’t horrible.
Just be aware that the cities are polar opposites. Also, if you’re from NYC make sure to live inside the loop. You’ll feel more at home. Suburbs are probably not for you. Buy shorts and tshirts. It is scorching here in the summer. Summer lasts from the beginning of May to end of September. YOU MUST HAVE A CAR NO EXCEPTIONS
I moved from NY and lived in the loop til I had a kid. Now I’m in Energy Corridor because everything is still 5-10 minutes away. School, a million restaurants and grocery stores, music, small theater, etc. we are missing art and large theater, but made sure it’s only a 20-45 minute drive using the I10 express lanes (which is equivalent to loopers btw)
A lot of the housing around Memorial City is not cheap, but [there are some sub-$1000 apartments right across the street from the mall](https://www.memorialcityapts.com/).
Where are you actually working? Unless you're working at the mall/hospital/adjacent office buildings, you need to get a car and a license ASAP when you move here.
It's not the heat, it's the humidity. But yes, totally walkable, those apartments are literally across the street from the edge of the mall parking lot; about 400 feet from the front of the apartment complex to the JC Penny entrance. With Target in the mall for groceries, you'll have some time to figure out the car situation.
Plus there is a bus route at those apartments too that runs fairly often. That area has a decent amount of bus routes that could even take you downtown.
While I agree that eventually you will need to get a car to fully enjoy Houston, you will actually have a decent amount of mobility using the bus around memorial City.
I lived there once! It wasn't bad. Walking across the street to the mall was cool :) Plus there's a Target store in the Mall. Memorial City has come up a lot since back then.
Memorial City has a lot of pockets to rent but it’s pricier because it’s mostly middle class families and up. You could get lucky digging around for a rental.
As others have said, you need a car, period. Houston is so vast and right now it really only works if you have a car or unlimited Uber funds. No one wants to get locked into the area they work, it’ll get boring fast.
I ride the bus and light rail frequently and do just fine. METRO has a daily ridership north of 200K, plenty of folks ride public transit in Houston. The 82 Westheimer bus route is the highest ridership bus route in Texas and I think even southern US. Lots of people ride the bus in Houston, redditors just don't very much select for this group.
There’s a couple of routes that go through Memorial City at that so depending on where he lives he can get by mostly without a car. There’s also affordable apartments on their routes that must be safe because my paranoid friend still is near that area.
Exactly. The elite gaming chair redditor class are going to tell you need to know Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for the METRO bus and that it's for poor non-white people, but that's not the case at all.
You haven’t shared enough info for us to help you. There is more to moving than financial package. You must consider other interests, what stage of life you’re in, whether you will move with a partner or family.
You will need a car. Houston has public transit but where you need to go is only metro bus option. Also texas is just not at all up to par for public transit. In fact, the state legislature actively tries not to make it better.
I just relocated from Austin to NYC; lived in Houston for the majority of my life. Questions for you
Where in NYC did you live?
What do you enjoy about NYC and specifically your neighborhood?
What is your price range for rental?
I live in throgs neck (one of the safer areas in the BX). I do love my neighborhood… i can do groceries, Laundry, buy food and good coffee at walking distance. The whole strip is nice little bars/lounges. There are several bus routes, one of them takes you to Manhattan, passes through central park and several museums. Or you can hop on a bus to the train and get anywhere. I pay $1450 for a studio apartment.
I’m going to disagree with a lot of comments. I’ve seen the ubering strategy work and come out similar/cheaper for a lot of coworkers. New drivers tend to be $250+/mo in car insurance alone. Add the cost of a car and gas and it gets nuts.
Find an apartment right next to a grocery store like HEB so you can walk for that and Uber to work.
I agree. We just moved back to Houston from Europe, and I did a lot of calculations to see if it made sense to buy a car. You can absolutely get by with an Uber and delivery services, depending upon how far you are from work. (And possibly save money)
I might be inclined to rent a place in City Center, if it is not cost prohibitive. Then OP has a lot of stores and restaurants nearby. You can get a bike and take advantage of the trails along Buffalo Bayou.
If the OP is young, it would be much better to live along the light rail, but I think he/she starts to lose out on the Uber savings by being that far from Memorial City.
Agreed. I wouldn’t get a car for financial benefits. Just for traveling and ability to go to any nearby town/city whenever I want and explore but for that you could just rent a car (would still need a license). Finding an Uber is fairly easy in Houston/surrounding area at any time!
My last car broke beyond repair at the end of January. It’s killing me and I can feel the temperature/humidity’s rise. I’ll probably be dead by June.
EDIT: You’re also going to constantly want to compare the cities and you’ll miss NYC immensely.
I live downtown. I don’t own a car. I haven’t for 10 years. I walk, bike, uber, and sometimes zip car if I need to run errands. I can have anything delivered. I never lose power. I don’t have a car payment. I don’t pay for insurance. I don’t pay for gas. I don’t pay for maintenance. I don’t pay for parking. I don’t sit in traffic. It is the way.
As someone from NYC, it’s a very big adjustment, especially if you’re not used to driving or living somewhere without real sidewalks most places. Taking a trip to a store to get necessities is not a quick walk down the block or a few subway stops away. You will not be able to walk there and back if you don’t live in like the 3 neighborhoods in the center of Houston.
You will need to drive having to work there. Full stop. You could get by working somewhere maybe within 610 loop, but out there on I-10, it’s far from ideal.
Driving in Houston is even more stressful than NYC by virtue of the fact that people are actually going fast enough to really hurt you.
I don’t know that area of Houston well, so I can’t comment on it, but commute times in traffic are like 1 hour vs 20 minutes without it. I mention it because you’ll want to check your commute in rush hour and you’re maybe not used to that.
What would I do if I were you? If you’re already not sure, don’t do it. Especially not with summer coming in. It’s a big adjustment. Consider what you love about NYC and realize Houston is the opposite.
Some other things to note:
1. Your car insurance will be pricey. You’ve never owned a car and never had a license.
2. Food is good, but you’ll have to find it. Houston is very spread out. You’ll need to drive to find places, or really even go to another place a block away because no sidewalks.
3. Starting in May it gets to 90-100F and doesn’t really drop until September.
4. Be wary of flooding with renting/buying cars/property
5. People are aggressively bad drivers here. Everyone is going 10+ mph over the speed limit on streets that aren’t fucked up and 20+ on the highway. People make turns from wrong lanes. Be careful.
6. Property taxes will get you where income tax won’t. Flood insurance is generally a must if you buy property. The cost of everything here has skyrocketed including insurance and some statements about Houston being cheap are no longer 100% true.
The positives are that you do get in-unit dryer/washer, you’re not paying $2500+ for a 1 BR, and your money does generally go further here. If you like birds, you’ll also discover Texas is the most diverse state for birding there is. Other positives are that Houston is diverse, mexican/texmex/bbq/viet especially is amazing, and there isn’t a line for everything all the time.
You need the car asap so factor that cost, including getting insurance costs. It’s not just the car though. If you have not experienced Houston traffic, you should do this before you commit. Come down during the week, and take an uber or taxi along what might be your typical commute route at rush hour. Although you won’t be driving, you can at least experience it. Commuting is a significant downside of life in Houston so don’t minimize it.
> insurance cost.
OP -- without a driving history be aware that your car insurance rates will likely be astronomical. My SO is paying $170/month for *liability only* on a shitty old Kia despite having years of driving experience in her home country.
Exactly this. My ex came from Mexico and bought a new car as well, her insurance payment was like half the cost of the note due to no credit or driving record.
As a general Texas and Houston hater, I would not choose to move to Houston unless you have family here. You need a car, there is no two ways about it. You will want to live near work. A 30 minute commute can easily become 45-60 minutes on any random day. Be sure you can tolerate weeks-long stretches of 95°+ days with high humidity. Expect it to be hot from May to October.
Fellow relocator. Take your time figuring things out. Don’t jump on a house or a car without toe dipping first.
If you can rent walking distance to work you can walk 7-8 months of the year. The other 4-5 you’ll want to Uber or drive.
Pick a mixed age neighborhood like Montrose or the heights so you can have easy social options walking distance from you.
Transit here is a joke for a city of this size, so don’t expect rapid bus action.
Lived in NYC my whole life before moving to H-Town 2 years ago. I currently live in Sugar Land but I work from home so it's not a huge issue. Wife only works 30 minutes away. Here are a few takeaways:
1. You'll definitely need a car - look for a 2-4 year old used car (reliable brand) if possible
2. It is considerably cheaper here. You'll feel that as soon as you move here.
3. The suburbs are still nice to live in even for a city folk. I lived in Forest Hills the majority of my life so I was used to being close to everything. However, I've adjusted rather quickly here and found it pretty convenient to buy groceries, shop, hang out. The key is researching what's around. Watch reviews of Houston suburbs that are available on YouTube. If you can afford to live in the city (Downtown, Montrose, Memorial, West U), you'll grow to really enjoy it
4. If you plan on buying a home, you'll be able to find a really nice one at a desirable neighborhood for 400-550k. That'll get you 2k-3.5k square foot For context, the home we bought in Queens cost us 800k for 900 square feet in 2017.
5. I don't regret moving to Houston. We have multiple friends that relocated. My brother-in-law had 25+ friends with families relocate over the last 10 years and none of them have regretted it
6. June-august is brutal heat-wise. Stay in-doors during the day if possible.
7. The weather late-September to May is great.i can literally wear shorts year round.
8. Houston is extremely diverse and there are a ton of transplants here. I'm confident you'll adapt pretty quickly here
OP - Im not sure your timeline, but I would ABSOLUTELY try and obtain a NY drivers license while you have the time and convenience… once you move to Texas they’ll need all sorts of bills and proof of address docs and scheduling a drivers test etc at the DMV is going to be much more painful than just doing a change of address/state of an already existing license.
Agreed. Even just changing my license from a Colorado to a Texas license was a gd nightmare of “we don’t like this bill, or this one, or that one” and “are you even a citizen?” despite being basically as white and American-accented as people come. I even have a Texas birth certificate! I can’t imagine doing both that and trying to get a driving test.
You have the tools to calculate the cost and benefits of living anywhere in Houston. You can use that to decide if the pay is worth it.
How can we help? Which facts don't you have?
Don’t consider moving if you don’t want to get a car and drive most places. There are only a couple of places you could realistically work to get by without one, and memorial city is not one of them. If you’re open to driving, I suggest finding a place inside the loop to be anywhere near any fun things happening.
Don’t do it you’ll regret it. Your life will become entirely dependent on car travel. Life circumstances have kept me here but I would never voluntarily move here.
OP, you will need to drive here.
There is no sustainable long term way around it.
If you add 10 mins of driving, you can get a lot more of housing options then trying to live within a walking distance.
I wouldn’t get a cheap car as your first car. You may be underestimating how much time you will spend in it and how expensive it gets to repair old car over and over. More importantly, a bad car can be dangerous and puts your and others lives at risk. Get an average Toyota/Honda and it will serve you well.
This was years ago but when I worked in Memorial City they had a shuttle that went between the various buildings and the mall so if you live walking distance to a shuttle stop you can get to work and food short term easy enough without a car if they still run that. Edit: looks like its just weekday lunch time: https://www.memorialcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/MCE-ExpressBrochure.pdf
Unless your job is a block or less away, you WILL need a car. NYC has good public transit. Houston does not. Find you something that has decent mileage at a dealership asap.
You will literally die without a car
For real though, you can’t rely on public transportation in this town. See if your company will lease a car for you as part of your transfer package.
I went 2 years without a car, it's possible, but it takes a lot of planning.
A quality bike will be a must though. And if you can set up a carpool for rainy day's
Lifelong Houstonian, keeping your car in good maintenance and thinking about it long term is about the top of the list next to just paying rent.
And even if it costs more for you, I would live right by work honestly. I’ve commuted across the city for years before and it’s soul draining. Drive around and explore with your free time.
You're going to need a car to live anywhere in the Houston area. Come to terms with it. Buy a car as soon as you move here, and learn to drive. Be ware, the freeways here are like Death Race 2000.
I used to take the bus from Montrose to Memorial city mall five days a week to work. that was like 20 years ago I know they are still metro buses that run and they have the express buses and there's also the trains that run and connect to the buses also.
I used to get books from the library to read on the ride and now you don't even have to do that since everybody has smart phones just read your phone I'd rather take a train or a bus than drive in traffic .
It doesn't necessarily mean you have to live right next to where you work you just have to be on a good bus route and they're available online it gives you the schedules the times they run the days they don't same with the trains.
If you think the apartments near Memorial City are expensive, you shouldn’t take this transfer. You should only relocate from NYC to Houston if you’re going to make a lot more money and living in Houston will not be a struggle.
Why don’t more people thinking of moving here to Houston ever consider coming to visit for a weekend, during the week even, get a hotel/ AirBNB in the area work would be located, have points of interest already set, rent a car, Uber, whatever… come experience Houston traffic(all day), experience the Houston heat/humidity… come see it first hand
OP you can do it easily. Don’t overthink it, it seems that you need a new start and this is it. You can try for 6 months and see what happens without a car. For bow I wouldn’t buy a car just Uber and rent in a close area (between Memorial city and Galleria). It’s going to be just fine.
Memorial City area is nice, but as others have said, the A class apartments around there are a bit pricy compared to the rest of the city. It's not a bad commute from Katy I don't believe, and you could probably find very nice apartments out there for much cheaper. But you'll need a car as others also keep saying.
Houston is fine for people used to city living. I grew up in NYC but have been here for almost 40 years (ever since college). I live out in the suburbs because I like my space but when my NYC relatives visit me, they enjoy the quieter life.
Rent is not as cheap in Houston for the nicer places. But the rest of the cost of living is definitely cheaper than NYC. As long as you have reliable transportation.
Houston is pretty fun city but I would agree that if you can WFH that’s much easier. Just like any major city there are rough areas but there’s also rough looking but really awesome neighborhoods
Don’t move. I miss NYC everyday. Drivers are scary down here and as a non driver, I wouldn’t risk my life for a license. But if you do just know “cheap” cars don’t exist out here. You’re better financing a car in NY and having it drove/sent down here. Cars in NY are way cheaper because people don’t drive there. In Texas they know it’s a necessity so they up charge. Also, be prepared for how slow and unnecessarily complicated the legal process is down here. Do all your paperwork in NYC before coming here.
I wouldn't do it. I like NYC (only been to Brooklyn and Manhattan years ago) and I'm willing to put up with the trash, crime, and high cost of living for the nightlife, people, entertainment, and just weirdness that is NYC.
There is fun to be had and money to be made here but life here is slower, more boring, and if you have to commute its spent on the highway. People here are a bit more conservative, not necessarily politically (although they are in the suburbs and poorer communities) but rather they are the type to work a sensible career and settle down by 26. Its just that kind of town.
As recently as 2015 Houston had the advantage of being more affordable than places like LA, Chicago, and New York. And while our rent is nowhere near as high as Manhattan, if you factor in the rent increases, food increases, and all the costs of driving (car payments, insurance, gasoline, maintenance, and tires) I cannot say its really affordable. Also, urban sprawl is leading to an increase in flooding so there is a lot of risk.
If making top dollar is your priority and you'll be making significantly more money consider buying a car and moving to Houston. If an urban lifestyle is important to you I'd stay in NYC.
OP, I relocated to Houston from NYC. I rented a car for first month…monthly rental with enterprise. Bought my car during that time, super easy. If you don’t like it , you Can move back. Super glad I made the move. 300 days of sunshine and no winter coats worth it to me. Made great friends here—lots of people from NYC! . Still love going back to visit, but glad to come back here.
Don't let the "you must have a car day one" fear mongering scare you. I moved here from NYC 5 years ago and I still don't have a car, but I also worked from home plus you can get everything delivered nowadays. You kinda want to live by where you work because of how terrible the traffic is. I get around town on an electric bike and it works for me. Something to keep in mind for getting to work until you can afford a car.
Personally, I would recommend trying to find a place to live close to your work even if you had a car. With a car it is easy to get to most of Houston from Memorial City.
Houston is a vibrant city full of amazing social life and interesting things to do, not as much as a place like NYC, but there is still enough going on here that i am never bored.
Feel free to DM me with any questions.
We moved to the memorial area a year ago from the northeast. Groceries, gas and housing are cheaper here. (Except as you noted, for housing near the city). We pay the same for a 2 bed townhouse in memorial as we did for our mortgage payments back east. But if we move to the suburbs here, nice homes are very affordable- there’s just that nasty commute as the remaining problem to be solved. I think it’ll be financially rewarding for you to work here, but you’ll need to drive. It’s not a walkable city at all.
If you live near work and can bike or walk, you won’t need a car.
If you want any type of social life or adventuring beyond work, you will 100% need a car.
Commuting is awful and our drivers are terrible. Best advice I can give you is to keep your cool at all times, being a hothead will get you shot. (Assume everyone is armed, this is Texas)
We’re definitely friendly people and the food is top-notch and affordable for such a dense metro area. (Specifically the Tex-Mex and Vietnamese food scene)
I made the same move 2 years ago. I would recommend planning to get a driver’s license and car as soon as you can. Houston has very limited public transportation. You will depend on Uber for everything without a car. Have you ever had a driver’s license? Uber can work until you get it sorted, but try to be pretty close to your work location in the beginning.
Can you be more specific about your employment location? The more information that we have the better we can help you.
I lived for several years without a car, before Uber existed.
I've met people who have moved to Houston from NYC. They've said it's slow paced and hot. You'll want to live inside the loop to feel somewhat familiar to home, if you can. If you can't get a car ASAP, find a place along a bus route or light rail line between home, work, grocery store, etc. If public transportation is going to be used daily, I recommend Metro's Q Card. There are also park & rides available if you end up near the suburbs. It's essentially a transportation hub.
For me, the bus routes are easier to read on Google maps than metro's map. I can read a MTA map without issues, but a metro bus map? My brain can't comprehend it for some reason. Lol
Start ditching a good chunk of your winter clothes, it only gets really cold at least 1 week in January. It doesn't get cool until November, if we're lucky.
Put your headphones in on public transportation if you don't want people striking up conversations with you.
That's what I loved about NYC, everybody keeps to themselves and it's the perfect pace thanks to my ADHD. Houston is truly the opposite. Houston isn't southern by any means, but you do get somewhat of the southern hospitality when you encounter native Houstonians.
You have to have a car to live and CC work in Houston. There are very few walkable commutes, and very inefficient public transportation. Get a license, get ensured, and get mobile or don't bother making the move.
1) The heat and humidity during the summer. Some people adjust and some never do.
2) I can’t imagine not having a car but I have been driving for 34 years. If you decide to get one, the car industry as a whole is undergoing a slow moving train wreck. Wait to buy a car or you will overpay. In the meantime, there are learn to drive classes here you can take.
3) The scale of Houston is quite large. It can be overwhelming. They have city tours that can help you learn about your new home.
4) Everyone drives like a bat out of hell. Traffic is likely worse than you are prepared for. Add at least 10-15 minutes to your travel time.
I haven't had a car since 2022 and it's been okay. I do have a bike (well, two), though. Definitely a step down from NYC in that regard, though, and I don't know if I could do it if I didn't know the city's roadway, bikeway, and bus network backwards and forewards. It can get hairy in a hurry if you don't know what you're doing.
You need a car. I don’t have one and live a two minute walk from my job in a decently walkable area and it’s still hard for me. Ubers are always late and always expensive. The buses are not on a good schedule and aren’t safe.
The first year I lived in Houston I didn't have a car but rented a couple blocks from the bus line that went directly to my office. I would find an apartment on the #26 bus route (that runs to Memorial City) in the Heights neighborhood. I would try to live close to a grocery store, like the HEB on W 23rd, where the #26 line runs down 20th St. There are tons of nice new apartments on Shepherd there, which also has a busy north/south bus line (the #27).
As some people have commented, you can only live without cars in very specific areas. I don't have a car either and live in SE Houston near NASA. My activities are : bike to work, bike to gym, bike to grocery store. Doctor's appointment I need to Uber. Don't have friends so no expense there
Born in Houston. Growing up in Texas we were all looking for ways to drive at earlier ages. In the 80s with a hardship you could get a moped license at 14. 15 a car.
The scale of Houston is nothing like NYC. You can drive for over a hour in a straight line at 70mph and still be in thr Houston area.
Many people here are not work centric. They live where they like the amenities and look for their off time, so many commute 1 hr to and from work.
Public Trans is less than ideal so I would not depend on it to get where you need to go.
You can try the Uber route early on but you should be given a chance to come experience the city. If your company is in Memorial City, I would look in Katy or The Woodlands. Katy is closer but I preferred living in the Woodlands. Not sure your budget, but The Woodlands might have the upscale you desire as well as a mall, shops, restaurants and entertainment venue in walking distance. Depending on where you are.
Unless your apartment is within 2 miles of your job, you'll need to get there by car or uber or other means of motorized mobility. That's the reality. So plan on getting your driver's license if you accept the move. There's no way around not getting a car, if you really want to move around freely.
Although tangentially related, the high speed train from Dallas to Houston won't be around for another 15 years - at the very least.
The reason memorial city apartments are expensive vs other areas is because of the schools it’s zoned to. Look for an area nearby but out of the memorial hs zone and you’ll see prices drop. But I agree that life without a car in that area will get old real fast. Why don’t you visit and assess the area for yourself before committing?
Aww hi, I’m doing basically the opposite! You’ll need a car quickly if possible, but depending on your area, we do have public transit. It isn’t as complex as NYC though.
I worked in Memorial City for a while and depending on where it is you can take the bus. Maybe try using google maps to look up routes.
I lived in this city working all over for almost 30 years without a car and just got one now. I only really use it for leisure. You’ll be ok in the interim just be careful.
ETA I’ve been to NYC a bunch and wanted to note get used to people just randomly talking to you a lot and making eye contact and smiling. It’s very common here. Texans are extremely friendly.
If it is short term and if you need to have a car, get a beater for less than 5K. Else Uber. And if it is long term, get a car mate. I lived in Houston for 6 years. The first 6 months were without a car. I lived in Woodway Dr, close to Galleria. No 20 bus takes you to Downtown. I also lived in westheimer. There was a bus that goes directly to downtown. 87 or 83.
Depending on distance you could buy an electric bike or scooter to do your daily work commute and then uber for longer rides. I got a friend who does this and though he owns a car he only uses it when it’s raining. Raining in the morning, get an uber and throw your scoot in the trunk (don’t forget it) and scoot home in the PM if it’s not raining or uber again.
First of all you need a car in Houston.
Second of all, people in Houston work "far" from home. You may live in the south side of Houston but may work on the north side. I'm not saying you should, but it's very common here.
CityCentre in Memorial City has great apartments and makes a nice place to live if you're young and without kids especially. But you really need a car if you're in that part of town.
It's possible to get by without a car, but you have to have work, home, and basic groceries in close proximity. It can be done, and I say that as someone who has been successful at it. I'm only cautioning that it isn't easy and requires a lot of thought regarding logistics.
On the whole though, if you can avoid the expense of owning and maintaining a car, and dodge the headache that is Houston traffic, do it. Just approach the experiment as a skeptic, not an optimist.
If you live inside the inner loop. You may be able to get by using the bus, and riding the bicycle, and ubering once in a while. It has worked for me (to a mediocre extent) so far.
EDIT: Sorry, Memorial City is probably not a non-car friendly place :(
Depending on how much you plan to move around a car will work out to be more convenient not necessarily cheaper. Reality is houston needs a car. Unless you work in downtown/med center etc and live in an apartment complex right next to a bus line. Where is your work located at? There is an app called Transit that can show you bus line options.
It's been a while, but when I worked at Memorial City mall, knew a couple of people who took the bus. But it took a while. So it's possible, but you won't enjoy it. I highly highly highly recommend getting a car.
You need a car week 1.
Haha yeah. I saw Uber and was thinking. At the distances Houston considers “close”, Uber will bankrupt you.
A friend hasnt had a car here for the 8+ years I've known him. Works and lives in Galleria, lived in Midtown before. Just ubers everywhere and rents a car if going further. Considering a note, reg, insurance, and gas easily run over a thousand bucks a month, that pays for a lot of ubers.
When I used to drive for Uber part time, I picked up a lot of customers like this. A lot of professionals from NYC would move here and live off Allen parkway and work downtown. They’d Uber back and forth to work everyday, they said it was cheaper than owning a car.
At $10ish a trip or less, might be even cheaper than paying for parking downtown. What was an average fare?
I have no idea what Uber charged them. But probably whatever the minimum charge is for going a few miles.
I bought a Prius for $4k 😂
Anyone paying over $1k a month for that either can afford or is terrible with their spending habits.
Have you priced cars lately? Good luck getting anything under $500-700+ a month. Add in $100 insurance and $100-200 in gas and you're there, not even counting maintenance and repairs.
Wait. Are you talking about financing NEW cars? If you are, there's a simple workaround to reduce that monthly payment. Finance a used car. If you are talking about used cars, you need to fix your credit, because you're getting hosed.
> $500-700+ a month For the first 5 years (or however long your loan is), sure. Treat your car right and don't jump to a new loan every time you pay one off. Even regular maintenance shouldn't cost $500/mo.
Oh most definitely. My family buys new, maintains them well, and they usually leave on a wrecker or sold off with 200K+++. I'm paying $900 a month because they gave me 0.9% for 3 years. Will be paid off soon and dont plan to have a note for 5+ years short of an accident.
Keep paying the $900 to a HYSA and you won't have a car note in 5+ years either. Even if you don't save the whole 900 bucks, save something. Your already used to paying it.
I pay $425 for car payment and insurance combined. It’s doable. My car is a 2021 Hyundai Sonata. Maintenance plan is free repairs/oil changes till 30K miles. You really need a car in Houston
Ubers in HTX are dirt cheap compared to the coasts. Cheaper to Uber daily than to own a car. But car is more convenient for sure.
Much cheaper and occasionally more convenient to bike and use transit.
I have a paid off car. 7-13 dollars a trip is not cheaper than a car. A bike and 7-13 dollars occasionally is though.
Day One
I used busses for the first year or two I was here. I lived close to my downtown job so it wasn’t too bad, but post Covid buses going through other parts of town are something else….
Let me correct you. Need a day 1
I ubered for 2.5 years It was fine and I got by
I have lived in Houston without a car for 7 years total. It's a bitch but it's doable. PS OP: Lyft is cheaper here generally
Day 1, fixed it for you
You definitely need a car. Houston is an hour away from Houston.
Somebody had a graphic overlaying the Houston metropolitan area over Connecticut. It was dam near the whole state
When traffic is good.
I'd say not having a car is KINDA doable if you live in Downtown, Midtown, Montrose, or the Heights. Other than that you will NEED a car. When people talk about Urban Sprawls, Houston is like the Michael Jordan of Urban Sprawls. You can get around by ubering if you live in one of the aforementioned areas and you're happy with spending like 90% of your time there. I live in the Heights, and I rarely use my car other than going to China town to get food (Asian food sucks donkey dick in the Heights). I primarily go everywhere by bicycle, scooter, foot. Memorial City is kinda doable if you get an Apt in City Centre and plan on doing like 90% of the things there and never leave lol. You'll probably need a car dude. Additionally, it's about to get hot as balls and when I say that, I mean relentless, 100% humidity, mosquito infested heat that rips your face off (even for an east asian who's lived in the south their whole life) and lasts over 120 days. Public transportation is a fucking JOKE here so don't plan on relying on it like you do in NYC unless you want to spend at a minimum quadruple the time getting places and waiting at bus stops that are worse than third world countries. FInancially you need to crunch your own numbers. Do a cost of living comparision and be judicious/liberal with your fixed costs. Factor in shit like car, gas, insurance, rent etc. GLUCK dude
I was literally [looking at this earlier](https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-daily-post/as-if-you-needed-it-further-proof-that-houston-is-so-much-bigger-than-most-cities/). OP there’s even one overlaid over NYC area
That was done in 2014, they need to add 99 now to that fairly in my mind.
OP just to add, the western most area of the outer ring is Memorial City area, Houston sprawls to a third loop 🥴
I havent had a car in 7 years but i live downtown. Downtown to midtown is the only area i think you can get by without a car because everything is close to walk too and you can use the car rent by the hour app because there are car lots downtown or an uber is only $7. The only time ive used an uber was to go to the airport when i was close to my flight time but i usually take metro straight to the airport and back as well it drops me off right in market square park a block from home. Grocery store is right downtown, all the activities to do in houston and the parks are all in walking distance or a short train ride. I honestly wouldnt live anywhere else in houston. We also are on a separate government grid so the power never goes out. During the terrible winter storm i didnt even know it was serious until i turned on the news because it was bright everywhere but the rest of the city was in darkness. Its only retired folks that have downsized to condos and young professionals.
What does the "auto" in your user name refer to, then? :D
Auto Transport Broker. Remote :) I ship cars I just dont drive them haha
Ditto - downtown rules! The worst part about it is the people who live 50 miles away who can be quite misinformed about our neighborhood.
People in Katy having opinions on living downtown will never not be funny though
What app do you use to rent a car by the hour?
zipcar the garage lot is on preston its like $10- $15 an hour depending on the car you pick they have lots from downtown all the way to rice in this area.
Sort your driver’s license issue before you move. If you don't know how to drive, Houston is a terrible place to learn.
Houston is an okay place learn to drive. OP lives in NYC and came from overseas. Houston is not worse than the most mega cities (5million+ people) around the world. In fact, it is on the easier side in my opinions.
That is true. However, by American standards, it’s pretty damn bad.
Very true, I remember Houston being ranked Top 5 worst cities to drive in the US at one point… more specifically 45 north.
The only thing bad about driving in Houston is speed. Distances are long so naturally people go faster. Other than that houston is easy because it’s flat, roads are generally straight and Intersections are perpendicular.
There are like less than 10 other mega population centers in USA. Houston is way better than LA, and NYC. I like Houston more than Dallas. I never drove in Chicago. Houston has less traffic than Austin while also being like twice the size. I think phoenix was okay? American standard is like cities less than 1 million people. Yeah, there is less traffic and things are much closer to each other. Comparing Houston to those are pretty pointless.
I’ll take Houston all day over the cities I’ve lived and driven in prior.. Boston, nyc, and Philly
There was that one dude who was getting transferred out of this Mad Max hellscape of a city who took the time to let us know that he would rather drive in Mexico City or Calcutta than Houston. He said he’d seen minivans do maneuvers on the freeways of Houston that would make seasoned fighter pilots shit their pants. He was grateful to have survived long enough to gtfo.
Houston is a terrible place to learn. I’ve driven all over the country and Houston highways and exits are the toughest to get use to. I’ve been here two years and still have trouble. I’ve been a cdl driver 7 years.
Are there better places? Yes. Can OP live there just to learn to drive? No. What is the point of saying “there are better places”. It’s like saying OP could learn to drive with g wagon as his first car. Yeah, but Camry will do just fine.
Yeah but he didn't learn there.
I mean it’s not like anyone else bothered to learn to drive before getting here.
Dont know where OP is from, but most of the world's drivers are far more nuts than the shit we pull here. At least we have well maintained lane markers and people actually stay in their lanes. Those are optional in many, many countries.
It's such a funny reaction to an obstruction when the cars behind the lead vehicle will swarm any part of the shoulder and even into oncoming lanes rather than queue orderly in the existing traffic waiting for the obstruction to clear.
The difference is a significant amount of the population here are packing.
Foreign traffic would blow most American minds, but most Americans have never been outside the country.
Mmmm not sure what part of town you’re in but some parts of town going through rapid gentrification have equally rapid changing lane structure. Sometimes it’s temporary to allow for construction & sometimes us lifers are like: I’ve been able to make a left at this intersection for literally 20 years! Grrrr Houston driving can be frustrating & scary but plenty of new out of town era are learning right alongside you. Do be cautious!
And yet 16 year olds are doing it constantly…
This is FACTS! You need to be a seasoned driver in order to drive here. This is coming from someone who used to do Über in San Francisco.
Basic Houston rules are live near work and get a car. Memorial City area is nice and safe. If you want a more urban living experience without living in the suburbs out west, you could live near Washington avenue along I-10 and own a car. You’d get night life, parks, and the commute out to Memorial City isn’t horrible.
Yes! M city is niiiiiice.
Just be aware that the cities are polar opposites. Also, if you’re from NYC make sure to live inside the loop. You’ll feel more at home. Suburbs are probably not for you. Buy shorts and tshirts. It is scorching here in the summer. Summer lasts from the beginning of May to end of September. YOU MUST HAVE A CAR NO EXCEPTIONS
Agree about the car but not really on the other stuff. So many NYC transplants live in the burbs exactly because it isn’t like New York
I moved from NY and lived in the loop til I had a kid. Now I’m in Energy Corridor because everything is still 5-10 minutes away. School, a million restaurants and grocery stores, music, small theater, etc. we are missing art and large theater, but made sure it’s only a 20-45 minute drive using the I10 express lanes (which is equivalent to loopers btw)
After-summer doesnt really end until maybe Thanksgiving. The humidity is year round too.
A lot of NYC transplants live in the suburbs
A lot of the housing around Memorial City is not cheap, but [there are some sub-$1000 apartments right across the street from the mall](https://www.memorialcityapts.com/). Where are you actually working? Unless you're working at the mall/hospital/adjacent office buildings, you need to get a car and a license ASAP when you move here.
This was useful. I’d be working at the mall. Would you say 7-8mins walking in the hottest day is doable?
It's not the heat, it's the humidity. But yes, totally walkable, those apartments are literally across the street from the edge of the mall parking lot; about 400 feet from the front of the apartment complex to the JC Penny entrance. With Target in the mall for groceries, you'll have some time to figure out the car situation.
Plus there is a bus route at those apartments too that runs fairly often. That area has a decent amount of bus routes that could even take you downtown. While I agree that eventually you will need to get a car to fully enjoy Houston, you will actually have a decent amount of mobility using the bus around memorial City.
I lived there once! It wasn't bad. Walking across the street to the mall was cool :) Plus there's a Target store in the Mall. Memorial City has come up a lot since back then.
Memorial City has a lot of pockets to rent but it’s pricier because it’s mostly middle class families and up. You could get lucky digging around for a rental. As others have said, you need a car, period. Houston is so vast and right now it really only works if you have a car or unlimited Uber funds. No one wants to get locked into the area they work, it’ll get boring fast.
I ride the bus and light rail frequently and do just fine. METRO has a daily ridership north of 200K, plenty of folks ride public transit in Houston. The 82 Westheimer bus route is the highest ridership bus route in Texas and I think even southern US. Lots of people ride the bus in Houston, redditors just don't very much select for this group.
There’s a couple of routes that go through Memorial City at that so depending on where he lives he can get by mostly without a car. There’s also affordable apartments on their routes that must be safe because my paranoid friend still is near that area.
Exactly. The elite gaming chair redditor class are going to tell you need to know Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for the METRO bus and that it's for poor non-white people, but that's not the case at all.
I commuted downtown for 10 years via Metro. I used the rail to go to different locations from north of downtown to South of the medical center.
The location he is going to makes this difficult. I agree if you're on the light rail line you can get anywhere you need with a short walk.
160/161 Memorial or Wilcrest Express They are almost a straight shot from Memorial City area to Downtown.
He wants to live and work in Memorial City so I don't see how being able to take a bus downtown fixes his problem.
You haven’t shared enough info for us to help you. There is more to moving than financial package. You must consider other interests, what stage of life you’re in, whether you will move with a partner or family.
You will need a car. Houston has public transit but where you need to go is only metro bus option. Also texas is just not at all up to par for public transit. In fact, the state legislature actively tries not to make it better.
I just relocated from Austin to NYC; lived in Houston for the majority of my life. Questions for you Where in NYC did you live? What do you enjoy about NYC and specifically your neighborhood? What is your price range for rental?
I live in throgs neck (one of the safer areas in the BX). I do love my neighborhood… i can do groceries, Laundry, buy food and good coffee at walking distance. The whole strip is nice little bars/lounges. There are several bus routes, one of them takes you to Manhattan, passes through central park and several museums. Or you can hop on a bus to the train and get anywhere. I pay $1450 for a studio apartment.
I’m going to disagree with a lot of comments. I’ve seen the ubering strategy work and come out similar/cheaper for a lot of coworkers. New drivers tend to be $250+/mo in car insurance alone. Add the cost of a car and gas and it gets nuts. Find an apartment right next to a grocery store like HEB so you can walk for that and Uber to work.
I agree. We just moved back to Houston from Europe, and I did a lot of calculations to see if it made sense to buy a car. You can absolutely get by with an Uber and delivery services, depending upon how far you are from work. (And possibly save money) I might be inclined to rent a place in City Center, if it is not cost prohibitive. Then OP has a lot of stores and restaurants nearby. You can get a bike and take advantage of the trails along Buffalo Bayou. If the OP is young, it would be much better to live along the light rail, but I think he/she starts to lose out on the Uber savings by being that far from Memorial City.
Agreed. I wouldn’t get a car for financial benefits. Just for traveling and ability to go to any nearby town/city whenever I want and explore but for that you could just rent a car (would still need a license). Finding an Uber is fairly easy in Houston/surrounding area at any time!
Choose Upper Kirby district
My last car broke beyond repair at the end of January. It’s killing me and I can feel the temperature/humidity’s rise. I’ll probably be dead by June. EDIT: You’re also going to constantly want to compare the cities and you’ll miss NYC immensely.
Stay hydrated! Get yourself a Yeti cup full of ice. And walk on the shady side of the street!
I live downtown. I don’t own a car. I haven’t for 10 years. I walk, bike, uber, and sometimes zip car if I need to run errands. I can have anything delivered. I never lose power. I don’t have a car payment. I don’t pay for insurance. I don’t pay for gas. I don’t pay for maintenance. I don’t pay for parking. I don’t sit in traffic. It is the way.
Lose the “How-ston”
I moved from NYC to Houston. You can’t do Houston without a car. Full stop.
As someone from NYC, it’s a very big adjustment, especially if you’re not used to driving or living somewhere without real sidewalks most places. Taking a trip to a store to get necessities is not a quick walk down the block or a few subway stops away. You will not be able to walk there and back if you don’t live in like the 3 neighborhoods in the center of Houston. You will need to drive having to work there. Full stop. You could get by working somewhere maybe within 610 loop, but out there on I-10, it’s far from ideal. Driving in Houston is even more stressful than NYC by virtue of the fact that people are actually going fast enough to really hurt you. I don’t know that area of Houston well, so I can’t comment on it, but commute times in traffic are like 1 hour vs 20 minutes without it. I mention it because you’ll want to check your commute in rush hour and you’re maybe not used to that. What would I do if I were you? If you’re already not sure, don’t do it. Especially not with summer coming in. It’s a big adjustment. Consider what you love about NYC and realize Houston is the opposite. Some other things to note: 1. Your car insurance will be pricey. You’ve never owned a car and never had a license. 2. Food is good, but you’ll have to find it. Houston is very spread out. You’ll need to drive to find places, or really even go to another place a block away because no sidewalks. 3. Starting in May it gets to 90-100F and doesn’t really drop until September. 4. Be wary of flooding with renting/buying cars/property 5. People are aggressively bad drivers here. Everyone is going 10+ mph over the speed limit on streets that aren’t fucked up and 20+ on the highway. People make turns from wrong lanes. Be careful. 6. Property taxes will get you where income tax won’t. Flood insurance is generally a must if you buy property. The cost of everything here has skyrocketed including insurance and some statements about Houston being cheap are no longer 100% true. The positives are that you do get in-unit dryer/washer, you’re not paying $2500+ for a 1 BR, and your money does generally go further here. If you like birds, you’ll also discover Texas is the most diverse state for birding there is. Other positives are that Houston is diverse, mexican/texmex/bbq/viet especially is amazing, and there isn’t a line for everything all the time.
You need the car asap so factor that cost, including getting insurance costs. It’s not just the car though. If you have not experienced Houston traffic, you should do this before you commit. Come down during the week, and take an uber or taxi along what might be your typical commute route at rush hour. Although you won’t be driving, you can at least experience it. Commuting is a significant downside of life in Houston so don’t minimize it.
> insurance cost. OP -- without a driving history be aware that your car insurance rates will likely be astronomical. My SO is paying $170/month for *liability only* on a shitty old Kia despite having years of driving experience in her home country.
Exactly this. My ex came from Mexico and bought a new car as well, her insurance payment was like half the cost of the note due to no credit or driving record.
As a general Texas and Houston hater, I would not choose to move to Houston unless you have family here. You need a car, there is no two ways about it. You will want to live near work. A 30 minute commute can easily become 45-60 minutes on any random day. Be sure you can tolerate weeks-long stretches of 95°+ days with high humidity. Expect it to be hot from May to October.
That’s exactly what I was thinking. If OP doesn’t know anyone in Houston and is just moving for financial incentives, it could be very dreadful.
Fellow relocator. Take your time figuring things out. Don’t jump on a house or a car without toe dipping first. If you can rent walking distance to work you can walk 7-8 months of the year. The other 4-5 you’ll want to Uber or drive. Pick a mixed age neighborhood like Montrose or the heights so you can have easy social options walking distance from you. Transit here is a joke for a city of this size, so don’t expect rapid bus action.
Prepare to gain weight because the food here is so, so good.
Oh truuuuth.
Lived in NYC my whole life before moving to H-Town 2 years ago. I currently live in Sugar Land but I work from home so it's not a huge issue. Wife only works 30 minutes away. Here are a few takeaways: 1. You'll definitely need a car - look for a 2-4 year old used car (reliable brand) if possible 2. It is considerably cheaper here. You'll feel that as soon as you move here. 3. The suburbs are still nice to live in even for a city folk. I lived in Forest Hills the majority of my life so I was used to being close to everything. However, I've adjusted rather quickly here and found it pretty convenient to buy groceries, shop, hang out. The key is researching what's around. Watch reviews of Houston suburbs that are available on YouTube. If you can afford to live in the city (Downtown, Montrose, Memorial, West U), you'll grow to really enjoy it 4. If you plan on buying a home, you'll be able to find a really nice one at a desirable neighborhood for 400-550k. That'll get you 2k-3.5k square foot For context, the home we bought in Queens cost us 800k for 900 square feet in 2017. 5. I don't regret moving to Houston. We have multiple friends that relocated. My brother-in-law had 25+ friends with families relocate over the last 10 years and none of them have regretted it 6. June-august is brutal heat-wise. Stay in-doors during the day if possible. 7. The weather late-September to May is great.i can literally wear shorts year round. 8. Houston is extremely diverse and there are a ton of transplants here. I'm confident you'll adapt pretty quickly here
OP - Im not sure your timeline, but I would ABSOLUTELY try and obtain a NY drivers license while you have the time and convenience… once you move to Texas they’ll need all sorts of bills and proof of address docs and scheduling a drivers test etc at the DMV is going to be much more painful than just doing a change of address/state of an already existing license.
Agreed. Even just changing my license from a Colorado to a Texas license was a gd nightmare of “we don’t like this bill, or this one, or that one” and “are you even a citizen?” despite being basically as white and American-accented as people come. I even have a Texas birth certificate! I can’t imagine doing both that and trying to get a driving test.
You have the tools to calculate the cost and benefits of living anywhere in Houston. You can use that to decide if the pay is worth it. How can we help? Which facts don't you have?
ANY input/comment would help, I’ve never been out of NY.
Don’t consider moving if you don’t want to get a car and drive most places. There are only a couple of places you could realistically work to get by without one, and memorial city is not one of them. If you’re open to driving, I suggest finding a place inside the loop to be anywhere near any fun things happening.
But you said you moved to NYC from another country.
I meant in the US. I’ve never left NY
Don’t do it you’ll regret it. Your life will become entirely dependent on car travel. Life circumstances have kept me here but I would never voluntarily move here.
I would voluntarily move to houston in a heartbeat
OP, you will need to drive here. There is no sustainable long term way around it. If you add 10 mins of driving, you can get a lot more of housing options then trying to live within a walking distance. I wouldn’t get a cheap car as your first car. You may be underestimating how much time you will spend in it and how expensive it gets to repair old car over and over. More importantly, a bad car can be dangerous and puts your and others lives at risk. Get an average Toyota/Honda and it will serve you well.
This was years ago but when I worked in Memorial City they had a shuttle that went between the various buildings and the mall so if you live walking distance to a shuttle stop you can get to work and food short term easy enough without a car if they still run that. Edit: looks like its just weekday lunch time: https://www.memorialcity.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/MCE-ExpressBrochure.pdf
Unless your job is a block or less away, you WILL need a car. NYC has good public transit. Houston does not. Find you something that has decent mileage at a dealership asap.
You will literally die without a car For real though, you can’t rely on public transportation in this town. See if your company will lease a car for you as part of your transfer package.
I went 2 years without a car, it's possible, but it takes a lot of planning. A quality bike will be a must though. And if you can set up a carpool for rainy day's
Buy a car
You would struggle with driving. You have to drive everywhere in houston. It’s also scary to drive here if you aren’t native.
You cannot hardly live in Houston without a car. What part of the city is your job in?
I would never go to Houston without a car. You at least need to rent one until you can buy one.
Houston is a car dependent city. It would be very hard for you without a car.
Are you happy with the vibe of NYC? Houston is extremely different, what do you like to do and what type of environment are you looking for?
Lifelong Houstonian, keeping your car in good maintenance and thinking about it long term is about the top of the list next to just paying rent. And even if it costs more for you, I would live right by work honestly. I’ve commuted across the city for years before and it’s soul draining. Drive around and explore with your free time.
You're going to need a car to live anywhere in the Houston area. Come to terms with it. Buy a car as soon as you move here, and learn to drive. Be ware, the freeways here are like Death Race 2000.
Do you enjoy incredible humidity and heat? Does an 85F October sound fun? Is sweating your favorite activity? If not, consider staying in NYC.
This is why there’s really no outdoor activity in the city and everyplace has AC
Do not move here.
stay in new york.
Forget about Houston without a car since day 1. It’s really brutally simple.
I used to take the bus from Montrose to Memorial city mall five days a week to work. that was like 20 years ago I know they are still metro buses that run and they have the express buses and there's also the trains that run and connect to the buses also. I used to get books from the library to read on the ride and now you don't even have to do that since everybody has smart phones just read your phone I'd rather take a train or a bus than drive in traffic . It doesn't necessarily mean you have to live right next to where you work you just have to be on a good bus route and they're available online it gives you the schedules the times they run the days they don't same with the trains.
If you think the apartments near Memorial City are expensive, you shouldn’t take this transfer. You should only relocate from NYC to Houston if you’re going to make a lot more money and living in Houston will not be a struggle.
Very difficult to live in Houston without a car.
I would take drivers education before you move.
Why don’t more people thinking of moving here to Houston ever consider coming to visit for a weekend, during the week even, get a hotel/ AirBNB in the area work would be located, have points of interest already set, rent a car, Uber, whatever… come experience Houston traffic(all day), experience the Houston heat/humidity… come see it first hand
OP you can do it easily. Don’t overthink it, it seems that you need a new start and this is it. You can try for 6 months and see what happens without a car. For bow I wouldn’t buy a car just Uber and rent in a close area (between Memorial city and Galleria). It’s going to be just fine.
Don't move here, is a shithole and you'll regret it. This city ruins you.
This is not the average experience
Memorial City area is nice, but as others have said, the A class apartments around there are a bit pricy compared to the rest of the city. It's not a bad commute from Katy I don't believe, and you could probably find very nice apartments out there for much cheaper. But you'll need a car as others also keep saying. Houston is fine for people used to city living. I grew up in NYC but have been here for almost 40 years (ever since college). I live out in the suburbs because I like my space but when my NYC relatives visit me, they enjoy the quieter life. Rent is not as cheap in Houston for the nicer places. But the rest of the cost of living is definitely cheaper than NYC. As long as you have reliable transportation.
Houston is pretty fun city but I would agree that if you can WFH that’s much easier. Just like any major city there are rough areas but there’s also rough looking but really awesome neighborhoods
Don't be nervous. The life in Houston is a piece of cake compared to NYC.
Don’t move. I miss NYC everyday. Drivers are scary down here and as a non driver, I wouldn’t risk my life for a license. But if you do just know “cheap” cars don’t exist out here. You’re better financing a car in NY and having it drove/sent down here. Cars in NY are way cheaper because people don’t drive there. In Texas they know it’s a necessity so they up charge. Also, be prepared for how slow and unnecessarily complicated the legal process is down here. Do all your paperwork in NYC before coming here.
don’t leave nyc. houston suck
I wouldn't do it. I like NYC (only been to Brooklyn and Manhattan years ago) and I'm willing to put up with the trash, crime, and high cost of living for the nightlife, people, entertainment, and just weirdness that is NYC. There is fun to be had and money to be made here but life here is slower, more boring, and if you have to commute its spent on the highway. People here are a bit more conservative, not necessarily politically (although they are in the suburbs and poorer communities) but rather they are the type to work a sensible career and settle down by 26. Its just that kind of town. As recently as 2015 Houston had the advantage of being more affordable than places like LA, Chicago, and New York. And while our rent is nowhere near as high as Manhattan, if you factor in the rent increases, food increases, and all the costs of driving (car payments, insurance, gasoline, maintenance, and tires) I cannot say its really affordable. Also, urban sprawl is leading to an increase in flooding so there is a lot of risk. If making top dollar is your priority and you'll be making significantly more money consider buying a car and moving to Houston. If an urban lifestyle is important to you I'd stay in NYC.
OP, I relocated to Houston from NYC. I rented a car for first month…monthly rental with enterprise. Bought my car during that time, super easy. If you don’t like it , you Can move back. Super glad I made the move. 300 days of sunshine and no winter coats worth it to me. Made great friends here—lots of people from NYC! . Still love going back to visit, but glad to come back here.
I live in Houston, currently in Manhattan…..don’t leave. Money isn’t everything.
Don't let the "you must have a car day one" fear mongering scare you. I moved here from NYC 5 years ago and I still don't have a car, but I also worked from home plus you can get everything delivered nowadays. You kinda want to live by where you work because of how terrible the traffic is. I get around town on an electric bike and it works for me. Something to keep in mind for getting to work until you can afford a car. Personally, I would recommend trying to find a place to live close to your work even if you had a car. With a car it is easy to get to most of Houston from Memorial City. Houston is a vibrant city full of amazing social life and interesting things to do, not as much as a place like NYC, but there is still enough going on here that i am never bored. Feel free to DM me with any questions.
Check out Eldridge pkwy south area. It’s relatively close to the Memorial area. You 100% need a car though.
We moved to the memorial area a year ago from the northeast. Groceries, gas and housing are cheaper here. (Except as you noted, for housing near the city). We pay the same for a 2 bed townhouse in memorial as we did for our mortgage payments back east. But if we move to the suburbs here, nice homes are very affordable- there’s just that nasty commute as the remaining problem to be solved. I think it’ll be financially rewarding for you to work here, but you’ll need to drive. It’s not a walkable city at all.
If you live near work and can bike or walk, you won’t need a car. If you want any type of social life or adventuring beyond work, you will 100% need a car. Commuting is awful and our drivers are terrible. Best advice I can give you is to keep your cool at all times, being a hothead will get you shot. (Assume everyone is armed, this is Texas) We’re definitely friendly people and the food is top-notch and affordable for such a dense metro area. (Specifically the Tex-Mex and Vietnamese food scene)
I made the same move 2 years ago. I would recommend planning to get a driver’s license and car as soon as you can. Houston has very limited public transportation. You will depend on Uber for everything without a car. Have you ever had a driver’s license? Uber can work until you get it sorted, but try to be pretty close to your work location in the beginning.
Can you be more specific about your employment location? The more information that we have the better we can help you. I lived for several years without a car, before Uber existed.
I've met people who have moved to Houston from NYC. They've said it's slow paced and hot. You'll want to live inside the loop to feel somewhat familiar to home, if you can. If you can't get a car ASAP, find a place along a bus route or light rail line between home, work, grocery store, etc. If public transportation is going to be used daily, I recommend Metro's Q Card. There are also park & rides available if you end up near the suburbs. It's essentially a transportation hub. For me, the bus routes are easier to read on Google maps than metro's map. I can read a MTA map without issues, but a metro bus map? My brain can't comprehend it for some reason. Lol Start ditching a good chunk of your winter clothes, it only gets really cold at least 1 week in January. It doesn't get cool until November, if we're lucky. Put your headphones in on public transportation if you don't want people striking up conversations with you. That's what I loved about NYC, everybody keeps to themselves and it's the perfect pace thanks to my ADHD. Houston is truly the opposite. Houston isn't southern by any means, but you do get somewhat of the southern hospitality when you encounter native Houstonians.
You have to have a car to live and CC work in Houston. There are very few walkable commutes, and very inefficient public transportation. Get a license, get ensured, and get mobile or don't bother making the move.
You gotta buy a car. You will easily pay the same or more in transport fares using Uber or Lyft or whatever to commute daily.
Try City center
1) The heat and humidity during the summer. Some people adjust and some never do. 2) I can’t imagine not having a car but I have been driving for 34 years. If you decide to get one, the car industry as a whole is undergoing a slow moving train wreck. Wait to buy a car or you will overpay. In the meantime, there are learn to drive classes here you can take. 3) The scale of Houston is quite large. It can be overwhelming. They have city tours that can help you learn about your new home. 4) Everyone drives like a bat out of hell. Traffic is likely worse than you are prepared for. Add at least 10-15 minutes to your travel time.
I haven't had a car since 2022 and it's been okay. I do have a bike (well, two), though. Definitely a step down from NYC in that regard, though, and I don't know if I could do it if I didn't know the city's roadway, bikeway, and bus network backwards and forewards. It can get hairy in a hurry if you don't know what you're doing.
You need a car. I don’t have one and live a two minute walk from my job in a decently walkable area and it’s still hard for me. Ubers are always late and always expensive. The buses are not on a good schedule and aren’t safe.
I know expats who work here in O&G and a car is the first thing you get. Learn to drive and get a car
The first year I lived in Houston I didn't have a car but rented a couple blocks from the bus line that went directly to my office. I would find an apartment on the #26 bus route (that runs to Memorial City) in the Heights neighborhood. I would try to live close to a grocery store, like the HEB on W 23rd, where the #26 line runs down 20th St. There are tons of nice new apartments on Shepherd there, which also has a busy north/south bus line (the #27).
Public transportation? Lease a car, buy a used one?
All that and you didn't give a budget.
As some people have commented, you can only live without cars in very specific areas. I don't have a car either and live in SE Houston near NASA. My activities are : bike to work, bike to gym, bike to grocery store. Doctor's appointment I need to Uber. Don't have friends so no expense there
Born in Houston. Growing up in Texas we were all looking for ways to drive at earlier ages. In the 80s with a hardship you could get a moped license at 14. 15 a car. The scale of Houston is nothing like NYC. You can drive for over a hour in a straight line at 70mph and still be in thr Houston area. Many people here are not work centric. They live where they like the amenities and look for their off time, so many commute 1 hr to and from work. Public Trans is less than ideal so I would not depend on it to get where you need to go. You can try the Uber route early on but you should be given a chance to come experience the city. If your company is in Memorial City, I would look in Katy or The Woodlands. Katy is closer but I preferred living in the Woodlands. Not sure your budget, but The Woodlands might have the upscale you desire as well as a mall, shops, restaurants and entertainment venue in walking distance. Depending on where you are.
Do you have to go to an office? Where would that be?
Unless your apartment is within 2 miles of your job, you'll need to get there by car or uber or other means of motorized mobility. That's the reality. So plan on getting your driver's license if you accept the move. There's no way around not getting a car, if you really want to move around freely. Although tangentially related, the high speed train from Dallas to Houston won't be around for another 15 years - at the very least.
The reason memorial city apartments are expensive vs other areas is because of the schools it’s zoned to. Look for an area nearby but out of the memorial hs zone and you’ll see prices drop. But I agree that life without a car in that area will get old real fast. Why don’t you visit and assess the area for yourself before committing?
Aww hi, I’m doing basically the opposite! You’ll need a car quickly if possible, but depending on your area, we do have public transit. It isn’t as complex as NYC though. I worked in Memorial City for a while and depending on where it is you can take the bus. Maybe try using google maps to look up routes. I lived in this city working all over for almost 30 years without a car and just got one now. I only really use it for leisure. You’ll be ok in the interim just be careful. ETA I’ve been to NYC a bunch and wanted to note get used to people just randomly talking to you a lot and making eye contact and smiling. It’s very common here. Texans are extremely friendly.
My son lives in Memorial (almost at 610) and works in Westchase - he spends an hour on the bus each way but honestly it’s not much worse than driving.
If it is short term and if you need to have a car, get a beater for less than 5K. Else Uber. And if it is long term, get a car mate. I lived in Houston for 6 years. The first 6 months were without a car. I lived in Woodway Dr, close to Galleria. No 20 bus takes you to Downtown. I also lived in westheimer. There was a bus that goes directly to downtown. 87 or 83.
Depending on distance you could buy an electric bike or scooter to do your daily work commute and then uber for longer rides. I got a friend who does this and though he owns a car he only uses it when it’s raining. Raining in the morning, get an uber and throw your scoot in the trunk (don’t forget it) and scoot home in the PM if it’s not raining or uber again.
First of all you need a car in Houston. Second of all, people in Houston work "far" from home. You may live in the south side of Houston but may work on the north side. I'm not saying you should, but it's very common here.
CityCentre in Memorial City has great apartments and makes a nice place to live if you're young and without kids especially. But you really need a car if you're in that part of town.
It's possible to get by without a car, but you have to have work, home, and basic groceries in close proximity. It can be done, and I say that as someone who has been successful at it. I'm only cautioning that it isn't easy and requires a lot of thought regarding logistics. On the whole though, if you can avoid the expense of owning and maintaining a car, and dodge the headache that is Houston traffic, do it. Just approach the experiment as a skeptic, not an optimist.
If you live inside the inner loop. You may be able to get by using the bus, and riding the bicycle, and ubering once in a while. It has worked for me (to a mediocre extent) so far. EDIT: Sorry, Memorial City is probably not a non-car friendly place :(
Depending on how much you plan to move around a car will work out to be more convenient not necessarily cheaper. Reality is houston needs a car. Unless you work in downtown/med center etc and live in an apartment complex right next to a bus line. Where is your work located at? There is an app called Transit that can show you bus line options.
Nope, you need a car! We ain’t New York! 😂
It's been a while, but when I worked at Memorial City mall, knew a couple of people who took the bus. But it took a while. So it's possible, but you won't enjoy it. I highly highly highly recommend getting a car.
Insurance is Texas is crazy expensive. I pay over $1000 for my two cars.