Dallas Cost of Living (2026)
Dallas’s cost of living is roughly 2% above the U.S. average: housing runs about 11% below the national norm, but higher property taxes and utilities offset much of that advantage.
COL index (US avg = 100)
102
Median home value
$410,000
Median 1-BR rent
$1,450/mo
Effective property tax
~2.2% combined (before exemptions)
Dallas cost of living vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Dallas index | U.S. average | Difference | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 102 | 100 | +2% | 2% above U.S. average |
| Housing | 89 | 100 | -11% | 11% below average |
| Groceries | 98 | 100 | -2% | near average |
| Utilities | 113 | 100 | +13% | 13% above average — a real cost driver |
| Transportation | 89 | 100 | -11% | below average |
| Healthcare | 101 | 100 | +1% | near average |
Index base: 100 = U.S. national average. A value of 94 means ~6% below the national average.
Sources & methodology
- COL composite index: C2ER / BLS / BEA regional price parities (2024–2025), base 100 = U.S. average
- Property tax: Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts + Dallas County Appraisal District (2025)
- Median home value: U.S. Census ACS 2024 + NTREIS (North Texas Real Estate) market data
- Median rent: RentCafe observed rent, Q1 2026
- Comfortable salary (~$72,000): derived from MIT Living Wage + COL index, 2025
Figures accessed May 2026. Cost-of-living estimates vary by source and household; use the calculator below for your own income and city pair.
Compare Dallas to your current city
Cost of Living Comparison
Compare how far your dollar goes between cities. Index of 100 = national average.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Dallas expensive to live in?
Dallas sits close to the U.S. average — its composite cost-of-living index is about 102 (base 100), so roughly 2% above average. Housing is actually about 11% below the national norm (median home around $410,000; median 1-bedroom rent about $1,450/mo per RentCafe, Q1 2026), but higher property taxes (~2.2% combined, before exemptions, in Dallas County) and utilities about 13% above average offset much of that.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Dallas?
A single person needs roughly $72,000 per year to live comfortably in Dallas as of 2025, derived from the MIT Living Wage estimate adjusted for Dallas’s cost-of-living index. Texas has no state income tax, so your take-home pay goes further than the same gross salary in a state with income tax.
Why are utilities so high in Dallas?
Dallas utilities run about 13% above the U.S. average, driven mainly by summer cooling demand and the deregulated Texas electricity market, where rates vary widely by plan. Shopping the Power to Choose marketplace and locking a fixed rate can materially lower the bill.
Is Dallas or Houston cheaper?
Houston is cheaper overall. Dallas’s composite index is about 102 versus Houston at about 94 — roughly an 8% gap, mostly from cheaper Houston housing and lower utilities. See our Houston vs. Dallas cost-of-living comparison for the full category breakdown.