Ghost Kitchen Startup Cost Comparison

Boston, MA vs Houston, TX

Boston, MA

$30,000 - $149,000

COL Index: 152.4

VS

Houston, TX

$23,000 - $113,000

COL Index: 96.5

Detailed Cost Comparison

Expense Boston, MA Houston, TX Difference
Business Registration & Licenses
$500 - $5,000 $500 - $5,000 Same
Commercial Space & Build-Out
$14,300 - $71,700 $8,200 - $41,100 +74%
Equipment & Fixtures
$5,000 - $25,000 $5,000 - $25,000 Same
Initial Inventory & Supplies
$2,000 - $10,000 $2,000 - $10,000 Same
Business Insurance (Annual)
$2,000 - $12,000 $2,000 - $12,000 Same
Marketing & Grand Opening
$2,000 - $10,000 $2,000 - $10,000 Same
Working Capital (3 Months)
$4,600 - $15,200 $2,900 - $9,700 +57%
Total Estimated Cost $30,000 - $149,000 $23,000 - $113,000 +32%

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 Ghost Kitchen?

Start your Ghost Kitchen 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