Overall
103.1
+3.1 above avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX
Cost-of-living indicators for Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 19100 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #48 of 387
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX has a cost of living index of 103.1, meaning it's 3.1% more expensive than the national average. Goods cost 2.8% more, services 9.3% less, and rents are 17.9% above average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $97,003 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Dallas
Dallas ranks #48 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the top quartile for cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 103.1, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX is 3.1% more expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Dallas's most and least expensive categories — rents at 117.9 versus services at 90.7 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $97,003 inside Dallas, while a household needs roughly $103,090 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 117.9 — 17.9% above the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Dallas's overall index has stayed within 1.7 points, holding steady versus other U.S. metros. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 102.8 and services at 90.7, meaning everyday spending in Dallas is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Dallas Cost Index at a Glance
Dallas all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Dallas category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
102.8
+2.8 above avg
Services
90.7
-9.3 below avg
Rents
117.9
+17.9 above avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 103.1 (+3.1 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 102.8 (+2.8 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 90.7 (-9.3 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 117.9 (+17.9 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Rents +17.9% (117.9)
Overall +3.1% (103.1)
Goods +2.8% (102.8)
Below National Average
Services -9.3% (90.7)
Income Adequacy in Dallas
Dallas income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 103.1
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$103,090
in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$51,545
$75,000 nationally
$77,318
$125,000 nationally
$128,862
$150,000 nationally
$154,635
$200,000 nationally
$206,180
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has remained relatively stable, changing by only 1.7 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 101.4 |
| 2009 | 101.5 |
| 2010 | 101.3 |
| 2011 | 100.2 |
| 2012 | 100.8 |
| 2013 | 101.0 |
| 2014 | 100.2 |
| 2015 | 99.1 |
| 2016 | 98.0 |
| 2017 | 99.7 |
| 2018 | 101.1 |
| 2019 | 103.4 |
| 2020 | 104.5 |
| 2021 | 104.0 |
| 2022 | 103.4 |
| 2023 | 102.5 |
| 2024 | 103.1 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX's index of 103.1.
Other TX Metros
Related Data for Dallas
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Dallas area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Dallas metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Dallas
School Districts
NCES school data for Dallas area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Dallas area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX? ▼
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 103.1, meaning it is 3.1% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 102.8, services at 90.7, and rents at 117.9. It ranks #48 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $103,090 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX. Conversely, $100K earned in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX has the purchasing power of $97,003 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX? ▼
Rents in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX are indexed at 117.9, which is 17.9% above the national average. This is significantly higher than typical U.S. rents.
Is Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX's overall cost index changed by +1.7 points (from 101.4 to 103.1). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What costs the most in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX? ▼
The most expensive category in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX is rents at 117.9, which is 17.9% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 90.7, 9.3% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Trenton-Princeton, Naples-Marco Island, Fairbanks-College. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX's 103.1.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
