Average Internet Bill in Texas

Average Internet Bill in Texas

For the past twenty years, people have been moving to Texas in droves, attracted by the state’s low cost of living. But a low cost of living does not mean low monthly internet charges.

That’s why if you live in Texas or are relocating there, you need to know how to get a good internet connection at a decent price. To help you, here’s a guide to the average internet bill in Texas and how to find the best deal in your area.

Average Price of Internet in Texas

Texans are paying about $70 a month on average for their home internet bill [1].

That doesn’t sound too great, given that the average U.S. internet price in 2023 was closer to $40 per month [2].

But take that high overall average for Texas with a grain of salt—what really matters is what providers you have available in your area.

Is Texas Affordable in General?

Texas is a BIG state, which means living costs vary depending on where you are in the state. The average cost-of-living in Texas is 7% lower than the average U.S. cost-of-living, but it’s usually more accurate to look on the city level instead [3].

Plano’s cost of living is the highest in the state at 17% higher than the national average, and 26% higher than the Texas average. Plano is a large and wealthy Dallas suburb, so it all makes sense.

But overall, most places in the state are cheaper on your budget than the average U.S. cost of living.

That means you may have a little extra cash to put toward your monthly internet plan. But naturally, you’ll still want to find the best deal for your location.

Internet cost varies by location

What You Will Pay for Different Types of Internet Service

According to the FCC, almost 90% of households in Texas get either cable or fiber internet [4]. This is a pleasant surprise, given the huge expanses of rural territory in the state.

So, most Texans are going to have multiple good internet choices, including both wired and wireless internet options.

Wired internet is the top choice for most people who have access to it. Fiber and cable are far faster than other types of internet.

But fixed wireless internet has been improving greatly with the rollout of 5G. Even satellite internet is stepping up its game with some lower latency, higher-speed options.

DSL is the one wired technology that can be disappointing in its performance. You will also pay more given its slower speeds. If your only options are DSL, satellite, and fixed wireless, definitely take a hard look at plan prices and actual speeds before you decide. Sometimes, the wireless technologies will be faster than DSL.

The real shocker is that despite the fact that fiber internet is known as the fastest and most reliable technology, it is also frequently the cheapest.

You’ll get the best bargain prices on fiber from providers who offer 200 Mbps plans as their first-tier option. Fiber providers whose lowest speeds start at one gigabit usually cost about $70-80 per month.

Internet Providers in Texas

AT&T and Spectrum have the largest internet networks in Texas. But many other providers serve the Lone Star State! Enter your zip code to get more specifics about which providers serve your area.

Othe providers known for good internet in Texas include Frontier Fiber and Astound Broadband. In most Texas cities, you will have plenty of choices including  top national providers and strong regional providers.

Urban or Rural: The Key Question for Internet Price

In Texas, only about 4% of the population lives in rural areas. But that’s still 4.8 million people [5].

Unfortunately, rural internet tends to be significantly more expensive, usually because it is satellite internet. Even the cheapest satellite internet plans cost $75/month for download speeds that are often under 50 Mbps. Higher-level satellite internet plans with no data caps usually cost at least $100/month.

Fiber is fastest

Understanding Your Texas Internet Bill

Your basic monthly charge

Your monthly plan fee could be anywhere from $30 to $150 depending on your plan choice.

Only promotional fiber plans will usually be priced as low as $30/month.

DSL is almost always about $50/month, as is first-tier cable internet. But cable will give you much better speed and performance than DSL.

Hidden fees

If you have any experience with internet, you know that you may get an unpleasant surprise when expected charges show up on your bill.

These charges might be due to equipment fees, data overage fees, or the expiration of your initial promotional rates.

Fortunately, the FTC ruled this past year that all internet providers must give you a broadband label disclosing all fees before you sign up [6]. Pay attention to what your broadband label says.

How to Lower Your Texas Internet Bill

Make sure you have the right internet plan

Not everyone needs a gigabit-speed plan. Read our internet speed guide to make sure you know what plan is right for you. You may want a cheaper internet plan once you know exactly what speed your favorite internet activities require.

Call your ISP when rates expire

Monthly internet prices sometimes jump significantly when your initial bargain rate expires — usually at the end of the first year.

If you are polite and reasonable, though, you can usually negotiate with your internet provider. Especially if you have been a good customer and you have paid your bills on time! Don’t expect to get far if you have frequently been weeks late with your payment.

Save the equipment fee

Many ISPs will allow you to use your own modem or router, as long as it is compatible with their network.

If the provider charges you $10-15/month for equipment rental, you could easily save the cost of the whole modem/router combo in a year. But if your ISP already includes an advanced gateway as part of your monthly fee, you may just want to stick with their equipment.

Getting the Best Internet Deal in Your Texas Location

The first step in finding the right internet for you is entering your zip code. Because area providers vary so much (even from street to street within cities), only looking up your address or zip code will show you your true choices.

Once you do that, we have all the providers and plans with the details you need to make a great comparison. Or, if you want to check out our expert staff reviews, you can get even more information on price, performance, and customer satisfaction for each internet provider.

Sources

[1] Yahoo Finance. “Internet Cost Across the United States."

[2] Nerdwallet.com. “How Much is Internet Per Month?"

[3] RentCafe.com. “Cost of Living in Texas."

[4] FCC.gov. “National Broadband Map."

[5] Comptroller.Texas.gov. “Economic Data."

[6] FCC.gov. “Broadband Labels."