Los Angeles vs Dallas
Los Angeles, CA · Dallas, TX
Dallas is 39% cheaper than Los Angeles overall.
Home Price
Los: $860,000
Dallas: $370,000
Monthly Rent
Los: $2,050/mo
Dallas: $1,275/mo
COL Index
Los: 173
Dallas: 105
Median Income
Los: $76,000
Dallas: $69,400
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Los Angeles has the same purchasing power as $60,694 in Dallas — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Dallas cost 57% more (-$490,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Dallas saves you $775/month — $9,300 per year. Median rent: $2,050/mo in Los Angeles vs $1,275/mo in Dallas.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Los Angeles owners pay roughly $6,278/year in property taxes vs $6,660/year in Dallas. That's a $382 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $76,000 in Los Angeles and $69,400 in Dallas. Dallas residents earn 9% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 32 minutes in Los Angeles vs 28 minutes in Dallas. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Los Angeles to Dallas, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Los Angeles | Equivalent in Dallas | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $30,347 | -$19,653 |
| $75,000 | $45,520 | -$29,480 |
| $100,000 | $60,694 | -$39,306 |
| $150,000 | $91,040 | -$58,960 |
| $200,000 | $121,387 | -$78,613 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Los Angeles Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Los Angeles vs Dallas: Common Questions
Is Los Angeles or Dallas cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Dallas is cheaper overall. Los Angeles has a COL index of 173 while Dallas scores 105 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Los Angeles and Dallas?
The median home price in Los Angeles is $860,000 vs $370,000 in Dallas — a difference of $490,000 (57%).
What salary do I need in Dallas to match my Los Angeles income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Los Angeles is equivalent to $60,694 in Dallas in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Los Angeles has a lower property tax rate (0.73% vs 1.8%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $6,278/year vs $6,660/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.