Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,470/mo est.

vs
Houston

Texas

$1,350/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,470 in Dallas, TX versus $1,350 in Houston, TX. Overall, Houston, TX is roughly 8% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dallas, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $62,894 in Houston, TX — about 7% higher in Dallas, TX. Both cities are in Texas, so state taxes are identical: no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Dallas, TX
Houston, TX

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$1,142
+9% in Dallas, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$1,156
+10% in Dallas, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$1,375
+8% in Dallas, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,664
+7% in Houston, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$253,400
+14% in Dallas, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$62,894
+7% in Dallas, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$49,410
+4% in Dallas, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
34.3 yr
+0.9 yr in Houston, TX
Homeownership
42.4%
42.0%
+0.4 pp in Dallas, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
36.0%
+1.4 pp in Dallas, TX
Avg Commute
26.0 min
27.3 min
+1.3 min in Houston, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.7
1,155.2
+75% in Houston, TX
Property Crime
3,411.8
4,325.3
+27% in Houston, TX

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
67.2°F
70.3°F
+3.1°F in Houston, TX
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
54.6 in
+17.1 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$3.85/gal
+3% in Dallas, TX

Area: Texas vs Houston.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
$1.25
+50% in Dallas, TX

Adult base one-way fare — DART vs Houston METRO (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
16.4
about equal
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$24.61
about equal

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / TX)
6.25%
6.25%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Dallas vs Houston — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Houston?
Houston, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 8% below Dallas, TX's $1,470, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Houston?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $46,000 in Houston.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Houston?
Neither — both are in Texas, so they share the same state tax rates: no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).