Cost of living Dallas vs Houston: rent, home prices, salary
According to BEA's RPP for 2024, prices in Houston are 4.4% below Dallas: 103.1 in Dallas compared with 98.6 in Houston, against a US average of 100.
| US = 100 for price levels | Dallas | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Price level, all items | 103.1 | 98.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 117.9 | 104.5 |
| Goods | 102.8 | 100.6 |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 95.3 |
| Other services | 99.7 | 95.6 |
| Typical rent a month | $1,604 | $1,544 |
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $303,442 | $259,465 |
| Median household income | $74,323 | $64,361 |
| Price to income | 4.1 | 4.0 |
Sources include BEA regional price parities for 2024 by metro area, Zillow ZORI and ZHVI, and Census ACS 2024 income. BEA price parity data
Moving from Dallas to Houston: salary needed
The two price levels determine how the salary is scaled. This figure is before tax, while state and local taxes vary. Other cities: city cost of living comparisons.
Houston compared with Dallas: rent
According to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), asking rent for a typical home is $1,604 monthly in Dallas and $1,544 in Houston. The index covers rent on homes listed now. Houston asking rent is 3.7% lower than Dallas asking rent. The housing price level that follows rents is 117.9 for Dallas and 104.5 for Houston under BEA's index.
| Rent | Dallas | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,604 | $1,544 |
| 12-month change | +1.0% | −0.1% |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,599 | $1,408 |
| Housing price level, BEA (US = 100) | 117.9 | 104.5 |
Houston compared with Dallas: home prices
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) put a typical home's value at $303,442 in Dallas and $259,465 in Houston. Its typical-home value reflects the market's midpoint. Compared with a typical home in Dallas, a typical one in Houston costs 14.5% less.
| Home prices | Dallas | Houston |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $303,442 | $259,465 |
| 12-month change | −1.4% | −2.1% |
| 10-year change | +77.3% | +54.3% |
| Price to income | 4.1 | 4.0 |
| Price to rent | 15.8 | 14.0 |
Price to income: median household income (Census ACS 2024) divided into the typical home value. Price to rent: a year of asking rent divided into the typical home value.
The price histories for both
Dallas appears on the steel line, while Houston appears on the grey line. The typical Dallas home has moved from $97,513 up to $303,442 (×3.11) since January 2000. Over the same span, the typical Houston home reached $259,465 from $103,578 (×2.51).