Median rent is 22% lower in Garland ($1,641/mo vs $2,110/mo). Buying is cheaper in Garland, where the median home runs $270,800 versus $575,100. Households earn more in Gilbert ($122,551 vs $76,320 a year).
City A
Garland, TX
City B
Gilbert, AZ
How much would you need to earn in Gilbert, AZ to maintain your standard of living from Garland, 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
Garland
Texas
Gilbert
Arizona
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
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Garland — median rent of $1,641/mo versus $2,110/mo in Gilbert, a 22% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Gilbert: the median home is $575,100 versus $270,800 in Garland — 53% more expensive.
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Garland
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Gilbert
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Gilbert has cleaner air on average: 32.0 AQI (Good) compared to 55.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Gilbert if you prioritize higher median household income ($122,551/yr).
Pick Garland if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,641/mo median).
Pick Gilbert if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 32.0).
Is Garland cheaper than Gilbert?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Garland vs Gilbert?
Median rent is $1,641/mo in Garland, TX and $2,110/mo in Gilbert, AZ. Garland, TX has the lower rent by about 22%.
Which has higher salaries — Garland or Gilbert?
Median household income is $76,320 in Garland, TX and $122,551 in Gilbert, AZ. Gilbert, AZ 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?
Gilbert, AZ has better air quality on average: 32.0 AQI versus 55.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Garland or Gilbert?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Gilbert to match my Garland 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
