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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Dallas at index 99 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
Premium market, smart picks: while the market trends above the national average, the gap between the most and least expensive cities here is wider than you'd think. Dallas at index 99 is the standout — offering meaningful savings without leaving a desirable market.
What does daily life actually cost in Dallas? Start with the 28% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Utilities (index 91) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 102) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $67,760 and homes at $305,523 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Dallas, TX — cost index 99, rent $1,591/mo, income $67,760
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DallasTX | 99 | $1,591 | Details |
| 2 | Las VegasNV | 106 | $1,695 | Details |
1,302,868 residents · Texas
Here's Dallas by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). Cost index: 99. Rent: $1,591/month. Income: $67,760/year. Home price: $305,523. Population: 1,302,868. The strongest category is Utilities at 91; the most expensive is Healthcare at 102. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $3,648 per year vs. the national median. This is one of those rare cities where the math works from every angle.
660,929 residents · Nevada
A closer look at Las Vegas: the cost index of 106 breaks down to a Utilities index of 98 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 116 (weakest). Median rent is $1,695/month — 11% below the national median — while household income sits at $70,723, meaning locals spend about 29% of income on rent. That's within the recommended 30% threshold, though it doesn't leave much room. Quietly competitive.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Dallas (ranked #1) has a cost index of 99 and rent of $1,591/mo, while Las Vegas (ranked #2) has a cost index of 106 and rent of $1,695/mo — a 7-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Dallas is $1,591/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $304 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Dallas is $305,523, which is 4.5× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.