Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,470/mo est.

vs
Louisville

Kentucky

$1,040/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 $1,040 in Louisville, KY. Overall, Louisville, KY is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dallas, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $64,731 in Louisville, KY — about 4% higher in Dallas, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Kentucky has a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax.

Dallas, TX
Louisville, KY

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$786
+38% in Dallas, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$877
+31% in Dallas, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$1,096
+27% in Dallas, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,299
+17% in Dallas, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$221,500
+25% in Dallas, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$64,731
+4% in Dallas, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$48,370
+6% in Dallas, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
37.7 yr
+4.3 yr in Louisville, KY
Homeownership
42.4%
60.6%
+18.2 pp in Louisville, KY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
33.4%
+4.0 pp in Dallas, TX
Avg Commute
26.0 min
22.7 min
+3.3 min in Dallas, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.7
761.5
+15% in Louisville, KY
Property Crime
3,411.8
3,535.4
+4% in Louisville, KY

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
58.2°F
+9.0°F in Dallas, TX
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
44.9 in
+7.3 in in Louisville, KY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.35/gal
+10% in Louisville, KY

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
$1.75
+30% in Dallas, TX

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
14.9
+9% in Dallas, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$19.12
+22% in Dallas, TX

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 / KY)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.50%
+3.5 pp in KY

Dallas vs Louisville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Louisville?
Louisville, KY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,040 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Dallas, TX's $1,470, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Louisville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $35,000 in Louisville.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Louisville?
Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Louisville under Kentucky's (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% 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).