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Cost of living · head to head

Los Angeles, CA is approximately 10% pricier than Dallas, TX, using Dallas, TX 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 Dallas, TX and Los Angeles, CA metropolitan areas, not city limits.

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Dallas, TXoverall index
103.1
Los Angeles, CAoverall index
113.6
Estimated salary equivalent based on regional price levels
in Dallas, TX
A salary of $100,000 in Dallas, TX has approximately the same purchasing power as $110,184 in Los Angeles, CA, based on regional price levels.
In plain terms: Los Angeles, CA is more expensive than Dallas, TX, so you’d need about $110,184 there to match the lifestyle $100,000 buys in Dallas, TX — same groceries, same rent level, same everyday spending. That’s ~$10,200 more to cover the higher cost of living, not a real raise.
Before tax. This estimate does not account for individual spending habits, household size, taxes, childcare, healthcare, transport choices or personal housing circumstances.

Where the difference lies

The headline gap is 10%, but housing is where it really shows. Housing rents in Los Angeles, CA run 45% higher than in Dallas, TX (170.4 vs 117.9), 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.

Category comparison

CategoryDallas, TXLos Angeles, CADifference
Overall103.1113.6+10%
Goods102.8106.6+4%
Housing rents117.9170.4+45%
Utilities90.7158.6+75%
Other services99.7104.4+5%

Los Angeles, CA differs from Dallas, TX the most in utilities — about 75% higher in Los Angeles, CA — while the closest is goods.

Estimated salary equivalent in Los Angeles, CA

$50,000 in Dallas, TX$55,092
$75,000 in Dallas, TX$82,638
$100,000 in Dallas, TX$110,184
$150,000 in Dallas, TX$165,276
$200,000 in Dallas, TX$220,369

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

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

Common questions

Is Los Angeles, CA cheaper than Dallas, TX?

No — Los Angeles, CA has an overall cost-of-living index of 113.6 versus 103.1 for Dallas, TX, making it about 10% more expensive.

What is the estimated salary equivalent for $100,000 in Dallas, TX if you moved to Los Angeles, CA?

About $110,184, based on regional price levels — a $100,000 salary in Dallas, TX has approximately the same purchasing power as $110,184 in Los Angeles, CA. This is an estimate and does not account for taxes, household size, or personal spending habits.

Is housing cheaper in Los Angeles, CA than in Dallas, TX?

Housing rents in Los Angeles, CA score 170.4 versus 117.9 in Dallas, TX — about 45% 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 Dallas, TX and Los Angeles, CA?

Overall, Los Angeles, CA is about 10% pricier than Dallas, TX (index 113.6 vs 103.1), with housing 45% higher. Data is from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024.