PlainCost
Home /

Compare Cost of Living

Select two U.S. metro areas to compare their Regional Price Parity (RPP) indices for goods, services, and housing, plus salary equivalents.

Chicago vs Dallas

Dallas is 0.5% less expensive than Chicago. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, national average = 100.

Metro A
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
103.6
Overall RPP
107.3
Goods
83.6
Services
112.0
Rents
Metro B
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
103.1
Overall RPP
102.8
Goods
90.7
Services
117.9
Rents

Category Breakdown

Category Chicago Dallas Diff (B−A)
Overall Cost 103.6 103.1 -0.5
Goods 107.3 102.8 -4.4
Services 83.6 90.7 +7.1
Rents/Housing 112.0 117.9 +5.9

Visual Comparison

Overall Cost About the same as Chicago
Chicago
103.6
Dallas
103.1
Goods Lower than Chicago
Chicago
107.3
Dallas
102.8
Services Higher than Chicago
Chicago
83.6
Dallas
90.7
Rents/Housing Higher than Chicago
Chicago
112.0
Dallas
117.9

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

What you would need to earn in Dallas to match your purchasing power in Chicago:

Salary in Chicago Equivalent in Dallas Difference
$50,000 $49,756 $244
$75,000 $74,634 $366
$100,000 $99,513 $487
$150,000 $149,269 $731

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

Metric Chicago Dallas
Population 9,359,555 7,807,555
Median Household Income $88,850 $87,155
Data Year 2024 2024
State IL TX

Key Differences

Overall Cost: Chicago is 0.5 points cheaper than Dallas (103.6 vs 103.1).

Goods: Chicago is 4.4 points cheaper than Dallas (107.3 vs 102.8).

Services: Dallas is 7.1 points pricier than Chicago (83.6 vs 90.7).

Rents/Housing: Dallas is 5.9 points pricier than Chicago (112.0 vs 117.9).

⇆ Reverse comparison Chicago details → Dallas details →

Also Compare Chicago With

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria vs Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington vs Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Dallas more expensive than Chicago? ▼
Dallas is 0.5% less expensive than Chicago. The overall cost index is 103.1 vs 103.6 (national average = 100).
What salary in Dallas is equivalent to $100K in Chicago? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $99,513 in Dallas, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Chicago and Dallas? ▼
Housing/rents in Chicago are indexed at 112.0 while Dallas is at 117.9 (national average = 100). Dallas has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Chicago or Dallas? ▼
Chicago is larger by population. Chicago has 9,359,555 residents vs 7,807,555 in Dallas.

Explore More Data

Salary Calculator → Cost Rankings → All Metros → Rent Data → Salary Data → Relocation Guide →

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area Index where U.S. average = 100