Coffee Shop Startup Cost Comparison

Boston, MA vs Houston, TX

Boston, MA

$83,000 - $343,000

COL Index: 152.4

VS

Houston, TX

$61,000 - $239,000

COL Index: 96.5

Detailed Cost Comparison

Expense Boston, MA Houston, TX Difference
Business Registration & Licenses
$5,800 - $32,300 $1,900 - $6,200 +370%
Commercial Lease (First + Last + Security)
$14,300 - $71,700 $8,200 - $41,100 +74%
Espresso Machines & Equipment
$20,000 - $80,000 $20,000 - $80,000 Same
Initial Coffee & Food Inventory
$3,000 - $8,000 $3,000 - $8,000 Same
Interior Build-Out & Renovation
$20,700 - $82,800 $13,800 - $55,200 +50%
Business Insurance (Annual)
$2,000 - $7,000 $2,000 - $7,000 Same
Marketing & Grand Opening
$2,000 - $8,000 $2,000 - $8,000 Same
Working Capital (3 Months)
$15,200 - $53,300 $9,700 - $33,800 +57%
Total Estimated Cost $83,000 - $343,000 $61,000 - $239,000 +42%

Local Market Factors

Factor Boston Houston
Cost of Living Index 152.4 96.5
Commercial Rent ($/sqft/yr) $30 - $80 $18 - $45
Labor Rate Index 1.38 0.92
Sales Tax 6.25% 8.25%
Minimum Wage $15.00/hr $7.25/hr
LLC Filing Fee $500 $300

Ready to Start Your Coffee Shop?

Start your Coffee Shop LLC in โ€” free registered agent for 1 year.

Form Your LLC for $0 + State Fee โ†’

Trusted by 500,000+ businesses ยท Excellent rating on Trustpilot

Start Your LLC โ€” $0 + State Fee