Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,470/mo est.

vs
Kansas City

Missouri

$1,180/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 $1,180 in Kansas City, MO. Overall, Kansas City, MO is roughly 20% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dallas, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $67,449 in Kansas City, MO. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Dallas, TX
Kansas City, MO

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$961
+24% in Dallas, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$1,031
+19% in Dallas, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$1,211
+19% in Dallas, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,381
+11% in Dallas, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$227,000
+23% in Dallas, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$67,449
+0% in Dallas, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$50,820
+1% in Dallas, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
35.7 yr
+2.3 yr in Kansas City, MO
Homeownership
42.4%
54.6%
+12.2 pp in Kansas City, MO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
37.8%
+0.4 pp in Kansas City, MO
Avg Commute
26.0 min
21.9 min
+4.1 min in Dallas, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.7
1,556.3
+135% in Kansas City, MO
Property Crime
3,411.8
4,719.3
+38% in Kansas City, MO

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
56.7°F
+10.5°F in Dallas, TX
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
39.1 in
+1.5 in in Kansas City, MO

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.35/gal
+10% in Kansas City, MO

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
$2.00
+20% in Dallas, TX

Adult base one-way fare — DART vs RideKC (KCATA) (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
13.4
+18% in Dallas, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$15.74
+36% in Dallas, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.14
+1% in Dallas, TX
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.79
+4% in Kansas City, MO
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in Kansas City, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.97
+6% in Kansas City, MO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.15
+13% in Kansas City, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.63
+3% in Kansas City, MO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MO)
6.25%
4.225%
+2.0 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.70%
+4.7 pp in MO

Dallas vs Kansas City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Kansas City?
Kansas City, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,180 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 20% below Dallas, TX's $1,470, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Kansas City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $41,000 in Kansas City.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Kansas City?
Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Kansas City under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).