Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Sioux Falls

South Dakota

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,030 in Sioux Falls, SD. Overall, Sioux Falls, SD is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $74,714 in Sioux Falls, SD — about 2% higher in Sioux Falls, SD. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Sioux Falls, SD

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$825
+24% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$870
+26% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,000
+29% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,237
+32% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$271,400
+2% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$74,714
+2% in Sioux Falls, SD
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$47,970
+7% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
35.1 yr
+1.5 yr in Sioux Falls, SD
Homeownership
54.8%
60.0%
+5.2 pp in Sioux Falls, SD
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
37.4%
+4.3 pp in Sioux Falls, SD
Avg Commute
26.7 min
17.0 min
+9.7 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
526.7
+7% in Sioux Falls, SD
Property Crime
2,434.5
2,927.1
+20% in Sioux Falls, SD

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
45.8°F
+19.6°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
26.4 in
+13.2 in in Arlington, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.94/gal
+9% in Sioux Falls, SD

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
15.7
+4% in Arlington, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$10.95
+64% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Sioux Falls, SD
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Arlington, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Sioux Falls, SD
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Sioux Falls, SD
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Sioux Falls, SD
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / SD)
6.25%
4.2%
+2.0 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Arlington vs Sioux Falls — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Sioux Falls?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $35,000 in Sioux Falls.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Sioux Falls?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Sioux Falls under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).