Moving from Houston to Dallas
A typical worker keeps $515 more a year in Houston than in Dallas, after taxes, rent and everyday costs. To keep the same as a typical Houston salary of $49,410, you'd need about $52,100 in Dallas.
What your job keeps in each city
Pick a job to compare local pay, or enter one salary to see what the move alone changes.
A typical worker keeps $515 more a year in Houston than in Dallas.
- Typical salary
- $49,410
- Federal income tax
- −$3,749
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,780
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$15,540
- Everyday costs
- −$17,691
a year, or $721 a month
- Typical salary
- $51,440
- Federal income tax
- −$3,993
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,935
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$17,424
- Everyday costs
- −$17,953
a year, or $678 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS metro estimates. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules, single filer.
Change cities or job: compare any two cities or states at three pay levels.
At a glance
A typical worker in each city: where the money goes, pay, costs and price levels. The tables on this page have every figure.
Cost of living side by side
Monthly costs for one person. Green means the move saves money; red means it costs more.
| Houston | Dallas | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US = 100)4.5% pricier | 98.6 | 103.1 |
| Rent, studio$141 more | $1,266 | $1,407 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom$157 more | $1,295 | $1,452 |
| Rent, 2-bedroom$170 more | $1,537 | $1,707 |
| Food$11 more | $497 | $508 |
| Transportation$8 more | $393 | $401 |
| Healthcare$14 more | $337 | $351 |
| Utilities$12 less | $248 | $236 |
| Monthly total, 1-bedroom$179 more | $2,769 | $2,948 |
Salaries
Median pay for the same job in each metro, and how the move changes what you keep: the typical worker and the 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX area. The calculator above has all 40.
| Job | Houston | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Typical worker$515 less | $49,410 | $51,440 |
| Registered nurse$1,027 less | $99,830 | $101,420 |
| Teacher$1,872 less | $65,193 | $65,534 |
| Electrician$2,282 less | $59,180 | $59,010 |
| Accountant$3,883 less | $85,090 | $82,620 |
| Software engineer$485 more | $129,440 | $133,290 |
| Truck driver$15 more | $56,840 | $59,530 |
| Nursing assistant$1,697 less | $37,970 | $38,530 |
| Medical assistant$1,351 less | $42,110 | $43,100 |
| Auto mechanic$3,126 less | $50,940 | $49,720 |
| Project manager$2,575 less | $99,510 | $98,900 |
Taxes
Taxes on the same salary, $49,410 (a typical Houston wage), in each city. Single filer, 2026.
| Houston | Dallas | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income taxNo change | $3,749 | $3,749 |
| Payroll taxesNo change | $3,780 | $3,780 |
| State income taxNo change | $0 | $0 |
| Local income taxNo change | $0 | $0 |
| TotalNo change | $7,529 | $7,529 |
Living there
Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
| Houston | Dallas | |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income$9,962 more | $64,361 | $74,323 |
| Median home value$39,200 more | $301,200 | $340,400 |
| Unemployment rate2.1 pts lower | 6.4% | 4.3% |
| Working from home2.7 pts higher | 10.9% | 13.6% |
Moving to Dallas
People also compare
Questions people ask
Is it cheaper to live in Dallas than Houston?
No: prices in the Dallas area are 3% above the US average, against 1% below the US average in the Houston area (BEA, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,452 a month in Dallas and $1,295 in Houston.
How much more is rent in Dallas?
HUD's FY2027 fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $157 a month (12.1%) higher in Dallas: $1,452 in Dallas against $1,295 in Houston.
How much do I need to earn in Dallas to keep the same as in Houston?
A typical worker in Houston earns $49,410. To keep the same amount after taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, you'd need about $52,100 in Dallas.
Will I pay more tax in Dallas?
Both cities are in Texas, so state income tax is the same; only local taxes differ. On a typical Houston salary of $49,410, total income and payroll taxes come to $7,529 in Dallas and $7,529 in Houston.
Do people keep more money in Dallas or Houston?
A typical worker keeps $515 more a year in Houston than in Dallas: $8,135 in Dallas against $8,650 in Houston, after taxes, rent and everyday costs.
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate