← Compare My City
Cost of living · head to head

Dallas, TX is approximately 0% cheaper than Chicago, IL, using Chicago, IL as the comparison base.

Based on overall price levels from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. 100 equals the national average. Figures represent the wider Chicago, IL and Dallas, TX metropolitan areas, not city limits.

⇄ Swap / reverse this comparison
Chicago, ILoverall index
103.6
Dallas, TXoverall index
103.1
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Chicago, IL
A salary of $100,000 in Chicago, IL has approximately the same purchasing power as $99,517 in Dallas, TX, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Chicago, IL and Dallas, TX cost about the same overall, so $100,000 would go roughly as far in either place — your day-to-day spending shouldn’t feel noticeably different.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

The headline gap is 0%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Dallas, TX run 5% higher than in Chicago, IL (117.9 vs 112.0), while everyday goods and services sit closer together. For most people, housing rents move the most when relocating between these two metros, so weigh that gap more heavily than the overall figure.

CategoryChicago, ILDallas, TXDifference
Overall103.6103.1-0%
Goods107.3102.8-4%
Housing rents112.0117.9+5%
Utilities83.690.7+8%
Other services100.599.7-1%

Dallas, TX differs from Chicago, IL the most in utilities — about 8% higher in Dallas, TX — while the closest is other services.

$50,000 in Chicago, IL$49,759
$75,000 in Chicago, IL$74,638
$100,000 in Chicago, IL$99,517
$150,000 in Chicago, IL$149,276
$200,000 in Chicago, IL$199,035

Each row shows the estimated salary equivalent in Dallas, TX, based on regional price levels, for the amount earned in Chicago, IL.

Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Is Dallas, TX cheaper than Chicago, IL?

Yes — Dallas, TX has an overall cost-of-living index of 103.1 versus 103.6 for Chicago, IL, making it about 0% cheaper.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Chicago, IL if you moved to Dallas, TX?

About $99,517, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Chicago, IL has approximately the same purchasing power as $99,517 in Dallas, TX. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Dallas, TX than in Chicago, IL?

Housing rents in Dallas, TX score 117.9 versus 112.0 in Chicago, IL — about 5% more expensive. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

What is the cost of living difference between Chicago, IL and Dallas, TX?

Overall, Dallas, TX is about 0% cheaper than Chicago, IL (index 103.1 vs 103.6), with housing 5% higher. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.