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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.

Dallas vs Houston

Houston is 4.3% less expensive than Dallas. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities, national average = 100.

Metro A
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
103.1
Overall RPP
102.8
Goods
90.7
Services
117.9
Rents
Metro B
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX
98.6
Overall RPP
100.6
Goods
95.3
Services
104.5
Rents

Category Breakdown

Category Dallas Houston Diff (B−A)
Overall Cost 103.1 98.6 -4.5
Goods 102.8 100.6 -2.2
Services 90.7 95.3 +4.6
Rents/Housing 117.9 104.5 -13.4

Visual Comparison

Overall Cost Lower than Dallas
Dallas
103.1
Houston
98.6
Goods Lower than Dallas
Dallas
102.8
Houston
100.6
Services Higher than Dallas
Dallas
90.7
Houston
95.3
Rents/Housing Lower than Dallas
Dallas
117.9
Houston
104.5

Vertical marker = national average (100)

Salary Equivalents

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

Salary in Dallas Equivalent in Houston Difference
$50,000 $47,836 $2,164
$75,000 $71,755 $3,245
$100,000 $95,673 $4,327
$150,000 $143,509 $6,491

Use the salary calculator for custom amounts and reverse direction.

Metro Context

Metric Dallas Houston
Population 7,807,555 7,274,714
Median Household Income $87,155 $80,458
Data Year 2024 2024
State TX TX

Key Differences

Overall Cost: Dallas is 4.5 points cheaper than Houston (103.1 vs 98.6).

Goods: Dallas is 2.2 points cheaper than Houston (102.8 vs 100.6).

Services: Houston is 4.6 points pricier than Dallas (90.7 vs 95.3).

Rents/Housing: Dallas is 13.4 points cheaper than Houston (117.9 vs 104.5).

⇆ Reverse comparison Dallas details → Houston details →

Also Compare Dallas With

vs New York-Newark-Jersey City vs Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim vs Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Washington-Arlington-Alexandria vs Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington vs Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Houston more expensive than Dallas? ▼
Houston is 4.3% less expensive than Dallas. The overall cost index is 98.6 vs 103.1 (national average = 100).
What salary in Houston is equivalent to $100K in Dallas? ▼
A $100,000 salary in Dallas has the same purchasing power as $95,673 in Houston, based on BEA Regional Price Parity data.
How do housing costs compare between Dallas and Houston? ▼
Housing/rents in Dallas are indexed at 117.9 while Houston is at 104.5 (national average = 100). Dallas has higher housing costs.
Which is larger - Dallas or Houston? ▼
Dallas is larger by population. Dallas has 7,807,555 residents vs 7,274,714 in Houston.

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