Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,480/mo est.

vs
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,480 in Dallas, TX versus $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Dallas, TX is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 5% higher in Tampa, FL. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Dallas, TX
Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$1,242
+1% in Dallas, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$1,324
+3% in Tampa, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$1,673
+12% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,729
+11% in Tampa, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$375,300
+27% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$71,302
+5% in Tampa, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$48,940
+5% in Dallas, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
35.6 yr
+2.2 yr in Tampa, FL
Homeownership
42.4%
50.2%
+7.8 pp in Tampa, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
44.6%
+7.2 pp in Tampa, FL
Avg Commute
26.0 min
24.7 min
+1.3 min in Dallas, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.9
443.2
+33% in Dallas, TX
Property Crime
3,412.9
1,473.2
+57% in Dallas, 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
73.4°F
+6.2°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
46.3 in
+8.7 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.77/gal
+4% in Tampa, FL

Area: Texas vs Florida.

Public Transit

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

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
15.2
+8% in Dallas, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$23.62
+23% in Dallas, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / FL)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Dallas vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Tampa?
Dallas, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,480 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Tampa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Tampa?
Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax 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).