Median rent is 20% lower in Dallas ($1,472/mo vs $1,831/mo). Buying is cheaper in Dallas, where the median home runs $320,700 versus $616,000. Households earn more in Denver ($94,718 vs $70,518 a year).
City A
Dallas, TX
City B
Denver, CO
How much would you need to earn in Denver, CO to maintain your standard of living from Dallas, TX?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Dallas
Texas
Denver
Colorado
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Dallas at $1,472/mo compared to $1,831/mo in Denver (20% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Denver: the median home is $616,000 versus $320,700 in Dallas — 48% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Dallas
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Denver
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Denver has cleaner air on average: 27.0 AQI (Good) compared to 55.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Denver if you prioritize higher median household income ($94,718/yr).
Pick Dallas if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,472/mo median).
Pick Denver if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 27.0).
Is Dallas cheaper than Denver?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Dallas vs Denver?
Median rent is $1,472/mo in Dallas, TX and $1,831/mo in Denver, CO. Dallas, TX has the lower rent by about 20%.
Which has higher salaries — Dallas or Denver?
Median household income is $70,518 in Dallas, TX and $94,718 in Denver, CO. Denver, CO has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Denver, CO has better air quality on average: 27.0 AQI versus 55.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Dallas or Denver?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Denver to match my Dallas income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
