CITY COMPARISON
Los Angeles vs Dallas Cost of Living: Which Is Cheaper in 2026?
Data updated May 2026. Rent from Zillow ZORI, taxes from the Tax Foundation, cost-of-living index from BEA.
Los Angeles to Dallas became a well-traveled path during the pandemic and never really slowed. Texas's lack of income tax is the headline, but rent is the other half.
California's top income tax bracket is among the highest in the country. Texas has none. Dallas rent runs well below LA's, and the cost of living is closer to the national average.
Is Los Angeles or Dallas cheaper to live in?
At a $100,000 salary, moving from Los Angeles to Dallas frees up roughly $30,500 a year in disposable income. At $150,000 the gap widens to about $35,100 a year in Dallas's favor.
Dallas wins decisively on numbers. Zero income tax versus California's high rate, much lower rent, and a cost of living that frees up real money. Los Angeles competes on industry-specific career anchors, not on cost.
DISPOSABLE INCOME: MOVING LOS ANGELES → DALLAS
AT A $100,000 SALARY
in Dallas's favor
AT A $150,000 SALARY
in Dallas's favor
Assumes the same gross salary in both cities (the remote-work case) and a single filer renting at the local median. Positive means Dallas leaves more money after tax, housing, and everyday costs.
Full cost breakdown: Los Angeles vs Dallas
Here is where every dollar goes in each city, at two salary levels. Taxes, housing, and everyday costs are all in.
AT A $100,000 SALARY
| Line item | Los Angeles | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Federal income tax | -$15,000 | -$15,000 |
| State income tax (9.3%) Dallas: (0%) | -$9,300 | -$0 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | -$7,650 | -$7,650 |
| Housing (median rent) ($2,260/mo) Dallas: ($1,290/mo) | -$27,120 | -$15,480 |
| Other living costs (COL index 161) Dallas: (COL index 102) | -$39,150 | -$30,300 |
| Sales tax on spending (8.85%) Dallas: (8.2%) | -$2,425 | -$1,739 |
| Disposable income / year | -$645 | $29,831 |
AT A $150,000 SALARY
| Line item | Los Angeles | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Federal income tax | -$27,000 | -$27,000 |
| State income tax (9.3%) Dallas: (0%) | -$13,950 | -$0 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | -$11,475 | -$11,475 |
| Housing (median rent) ($2,260/mo) Dallas: ($1,290/mo) | -$27,120 | -$15,480 |
| Other living costs (COL index 161) Dallas: (COL index 102) | -$39,150 | -$30,300 |
| Sales tax on spending (8.85%) Dallas: (8.2%) | -$2,425 | -$1,739 |
| Disposable income / year | $28,880 | $64,006 |
Los Angeles vs Dallas: taxes, rent, and schools at a glance
| Metric | Los Angeles | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | 9.3% | None |
| Median 1-bedroom rent | $2,260/mo | $1,290/mo |
| Combined sales tax | 8.85% | 8.2% |
| Cost-of-living index (US avg = 100) | 161 | 102 |
| School composite rating (1-10) | 6/10 | 6/10 |
Who should pick Los Angeles?
Stay in Los Angeles if your career is in film, music, or any industry physically rooted there. The California tax bill is steep, so the career upside has to be specific and large.
Who should pick Dallas?
Pick Dallas if you can carry a remote or relocated salary into a no-income-tax state with lower rent. The Dallas-Fort Worth job market is enormous and varied, so the move does not require a perfect remote setup to work.
How we calculated this
Disposable income is gross salary minus federal income tax, state income tax, FICA, housing, everyday non-housing costs, and sales tax on discretionary spending. Federal tax uses 2026 effective rates after the standard deduction for a single filer. State income tax is a single-bracket approximation for mid-six-figure earners. Housing is the median 1-bedroom rent. Non-housing costs scale with the BEA cost-of-living index. Sales tax is applied to roughly 70 percent of discretionary spending, since groceries and many services are reduced-rate or exempt in most states.
The numbers on this page assume the same gross salary in both cities. That is the remote-work scenario, and it is the cleanest way to isolate the cost-of-living difference. If a new job would rebase your salary by city, plug both real offers into the tool below.
Run your own Los Angeles vs Dallas numbers
The interactive Move-To-City tool lets you set different salaries for each city, enter your actual rent, switch filing status, and see the full FIRE-timeline impact of the move.
Open the Move-To-City tool →KEEP READING
Educational only, not financial advice. Cost-of-living estimates are modeled approximations from public data and will not match any individual budget exactly. Verify rent, tax, and salary figures for your own situation before making a move.