Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,470/mo est.

vs
Long Beach

California

$1,960/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 $1,960 in Long Beach, CA. Overall, Dallas, TX is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Long Beach, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $83,969 in Long Beach, CA — about 19% higher in Long Beach, CA. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Dallas, TX
Long Beach, CA

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$1,447
+15% in Long Beach, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$1,634
+28% in Long Beach, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$1,979
+32% in Long Beach, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$2,360
+51% in Long Beach, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$762,200
+158% in Long Beach, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$83,969
+24% in Long Beach, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$55,850
+9% in Long Beach, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
36.8 yr
+3.4 yr in Long Beach, CA
Homeownership
42.4%
40.9%
+1.5 pp in Dallas, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
34.8%
+2.6 pp in Dallas, TX
Avg Commute
26.0 min
30.0 min
+4.0 min in Long Beach, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.7
690
+4% in Long Beach, CA
Property Crime
3,411.8
3,584.4
+5% in Long Beach, CA

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
64.7°F
+2.5°F in Dallas, TX
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
12.3 in
+25.3 in in Dallas, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$5.89/gal
+49% in Long Beach, CA

Area: Texas vs Los Angeles.

Public Transit

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

Adult base one-way fare — DART vs Long Beach Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
33.4
+103% in Long Beach, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$20.72
+16% in Dallas, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.37
+5% in Long Beach, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$2.10
+21% in Long Beach, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.25
+3% in Long Beach, CA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$7.23
+10% in Long Beach, CA
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.14
+12% in Long Beach, CA
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.74
+21% in Long Beach, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / CA)
6.25%
7.25%
+1.0 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Dallas vs Long Beach — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Long Beach?
Dallas, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,470 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Long Beach, CA's $1,960, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Long Beach?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $65,000 in Long Beach.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Long Beach?
Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Long Beach under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).