Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,480/mo est.

vs
Tulsa

Oklahoma

$1,020/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 $1,020 in Tulsa, OK. Overall, Tulsa, OK is roughly 31% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dallas, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $58,407 in Tulsa, OK — about 14% higher in Dallas, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Oklahoma has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 4.5% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$786
+38% in Dallas, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$847
+34% in Dallas, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$1,045
+30% in Dallas, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,265
+19% in Dallas, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$189,600
+36% in Dallas, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$58,407
+14% in Dallas, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$46,670
+9% in Dallas, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
35.5 yr
+2.1 yr in Tulsa, OK
Homeownership
42.4%
52.0%
+9.6 pp in Tulsa, OK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
33.3%
+4.1 pp in Dallas, TX
Avg Commute
26.0 min
18.7 min
+7.3 min in Dallas, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.9
948.9
+43% in Tulsa, OK
Property Crime
3,412.9
3,664.6
+7% in Tulsa, OK

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
60.1°F
+7.1°F in Dallas, TX
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
43.7 in
+6.2 in in Tulsa, OK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.94/gal
+9% in Tulsa, OK

Area: Texas vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
13.4
+19% in Dallas, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$27.15
+11% 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 / OK)
6.25%
4.5%
+1.8 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.50%
+4.5 pp in OK

Dallas vs Tulsa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Tulsa?
Tulsa, OK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Dallas, TX's $1,480, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Tulsa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $34,000 in Tulsa.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Tulsa?
Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Tulsa under Oklahoma's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 4.5% 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).