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    Commuter Woes

    Houston may have the longest commute, but at least parking is cheap

    Anna Fialho Byers
    Dec 30, 2016 | 11:30 am
    Austin traffic highway I-35 congestion
    We may sit in traffic for hours — but at least it's cheap to drive and park.
    Courtesy photo

    When it comes to commuting, Houston fares pretty well it turns out — at least cost-wise. According to a new Lending Tree report, while Houston has the longest commute, it is still one of the cheapest major cities in which to drive and park a car or use public transportation.

    Using the average of a 22 work-day month, Lending Tree broke down the costs for major transportation modes (driving, public transportation, taxi, Uber) to determine how much it costs to commute in major U.S. cities.

    It costs $288.61 per month to drive and park a non-electric car in Houston, the fourth lowest among cities studied. The study also found that Houston commuters would save $28.39 per month if they drove an electric vehicle versus an average car.

    Distance-wise, Houston tied with Dallas for the longest commute (12.2 miles), while Boston came in with the shortest (5.5 miles), followed by Portland (7.1), Milwaukee (7.4), and New York (7.7).

    When it comes to public transportation, Houston fared very well, coming in as the fourth least expensive at $66 a month (Washington, D.C., was the most expensive at $237). Dallas, however, ranked fourth more expensive at $120.

    That same 12.2-mile Dallas commute will set you back $1,301.96 a month using a taxi or $511.92 for Uber (which is the third most expensive incidentally, just ahead of Dallas at $500.28).

    A few other interesting tidbits from the study: the most expensive monthly Uber cost is $705.10 (New York), and that’s lower than even the cheapest taxi cost on the list; in Boston and Miami it’s cheaper to take an Uber each day than to drive and park; and it’s cheaper to ride public transit for a full year than just one month of taxi rides in Minneapolis, San Diego, San Francisco, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Seattle, or Detroit.

    Cost of commuting aside, the study says nothing about the psychological cost of sitting in Houston rush hour traffic. Judging by the solid red Google maps we see every day at 5 pm, though, we’re guessing that’s pretty high too.

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    news/city-life

    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Historic Houston hotel unveils major makeover and more top stories

    CultureMap Staff
    Apr 11, 2026 | 11:00 am
    Sam Houston lobby
    Historic Houston hotel glows after top to bottom renovations
    Sam Houston Hotel is refreshed and ready for guests.

    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, featuring a downtown hotel's major glow-up and a toast to our Tastemaker Awards nominees. Read on for more of the week's top stories, then find the best things to do this weekend right here.

    1. Historic Houston hotel glows after top to bottom renovations. As downtown Houston street construction smothers locals ahead of the FIFA World Cup, a Lamar High School alum has quietly restored a Federalist-style landmark hotel to its former glory.

    2. Houston's 10 best bars of 2026 power a diverse drinking scene. It’s been a brilliant year for Houston’s bar scene, and the 10 contenders for the CultureMap Tastemaker Awards Bar of the Year category are all heavyweights in their own right.

    3. The 11 best restaurants of 2026 showcase Houston's world-class status. The time has come for our final categories leading up to the annual Tastemaker Awards. Meet the 11 nominees for Restaurant of the Year.

    Credence food spread Credence is a ranch-inspired live fire restaurant. Courtesy of Credence

    4. Texas sees 5th highest surge in gas prices in the U.S. since 2025. Houston residents who are feeling the sting at the gas pump aren't alone: Residents all around Texas are seeing soaring prices for regular and diesel fuel in 2026.

    5. Texas' 2 national parks boast best scenery in the U.S., per report. Guadalupe Mountains National Park and Big Bend National Park out in far west Texas offer the best views of the American wilderness in 2026, according to a new national list.

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