Dallas and Philadelphia land within 1% of each other on overall costs, and typical rents are nearly tied as well, at $1,403 versus $1,323. Ownership is where they separate: the median Dallas home runs $295,300 against $232,400, a 21% gap. Philadelphia households also carry the heavier rent burden, 26.2% of income versus Dallas’s 24.8%, on median incomes of $60,698 versus $67,760.
Dallas is about 1% more expensive than Philadelphia overall - $100,000 in Philadelphia is worth about $100,523 in Dallas.
Housing costs separate Dallas and Philadelphia more than any other category. The median home in Dallas runs $295,300 versus $232,400 in Philadelphia, a 21% gap that matters whether you’re buying now or saving for a future purchase.
Renters see the same pattern. The typical apartment in Dallas costs $1,403/month versus $1,323/month in Philadelphia. But income matters too: the median household in Dallas earns $67,760 and in Philadelphia earns $60,698. That means rent swallows about 24.8% of median income in Dallas and 26.2% in Philadelphia.
Both cities are similarly sized metros - Dallas has 1,299,553 people and Philadelphia has 1,582,432. That means comparable access to jobs, airports, and cultural amenities without the extremes of a mega-city.
Monthly cost breakdown: Dallas vs Philadelphia
These estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by each city’s cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s actual median rent; ownership uses a 6.7%, 30-year mortgage with 10% down on the median home.
| Category | Dallas (rent) | Philadelphia (rent) | Dallas (own) | Philadelphia (own) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | $1,403 | $1,323 | $1,715 | $1,350 |
| Transportation | $955 | $851 | $955 | $851 |
| Food | $751 | $669 | $751 | $669 |
| Healthcare | $472 | $420 | $472 | $420 |
| Other | $1,676 | $1,494 | $1,676 | $1,494 |
| Total | $5,257 | $4,757 | $5,569 | $4,784 |
Scenario: who actually wins?
The Renter
If you rent a median apartment and keep other spending typical, your monthly nut in Dallas is roughly $16,836 per year in rent alone - $960 more than in Philadelphia. Add utilities, food, and transport and the annual gap widens. The crossover point: you need to earn about $100,523 in Dallas to match $100,000 in Philadelphia.
The First-Time Buyer
A 10% down payment on the median home costs $29,530 in Dallas versus $23,240 in Philadelphia. On a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.7%, the monthly P&I difference is roughly $365. Over five years, that’s $21,918 in extra (or saved) housing costs.
The Remote Worker
If your salary is locked to a national scale regardless of location, Philadelphia is the obvious win. A $120,000 remote salary in Philadelphia has the purchasing power of about $120,627 in Dallas. The catch: some employers use location-based pay bands, which can erase part of that advantage.
The Family of Four
With two median incomes, a household in Dallas earns roughly $101,640 and in Philadelphia earns $91,047. After housing, the next biggest budget line is usually childcare and education - costs that vary less by city than housing does. The family math usually comes down to: can you afford the home you want on local salaries? In Dallas, that answer is harder.
Dallas vs Philadelphia: the numbers
| Metric | Dallas | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-living index (US=100) | 103 | 103 | -1% |
| Median rent | $1,403 | $1,323 | -6% |
| Median home value | $295,300 | $232,400 | -21% |
| Median household income | $67,760 | $60,698 | -10% |
Cost of living = BEA Regional Price Parities (US average = 100). Rent, home value, and income from the U.S. Census ACS. See our methodology.
What your salary is worth
A $100,000 salary in Dallas has the same buying power as about $99,480 in Philadelphia. Going the other way, $100,000 in Philadelphia is like $100,523 in Dallas.
Use the calculator below to compare any salary between Dallas and Philadelphia.
Job market snapshot: Dallas vs Philadelphia
Highest-paying roles with available data. Median salary where BLS publishes one, otherwise the average - the median avoids skew from senior outliers, so it is preferred when present.
| Role | Dallas | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Manager | $136,000 | $142,330 | +5% |
| Software Developer | $129,490 | $127,150 | -2% |
| Data Scientist | $108,870 | $106,760 | -2% |
| Physical Therapist | $107,030 | $104,670 | -2% |
| Mechanical Engineer | $99,490 | $104,520 | +5% |
Moving from Dallas to Philadelphia: a practical checklist
Before you pack, run the numbers on these five items:
- Total compensation, not just base salary. Factor in bonuses, stock, 401(k) match, and remote-work stipends.
- Housing math for your situation. Rent vs. buy changes the winner. Use our calculator above to model both.
- State income tax. Dallas and Philadelphia are in different states, so your take-home pay will shift even if your gross salary stays flat. See our paycheck calculator for the exact difference.
- Commute and transportation. Gas, insurance, and tolls vary by metro. Check whether your new commute is longer or shorter.
- Healthcare network coverage. If you have employer-sponsored insurance, confirm your preferred doctors and hospitals are in-network in Philadelphia.
Run these through our cost-of-living calculator with your actual salary to get a personalized answer.