Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dallas, TX and Los Gatos, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Dallas, TX: $2,906 a month against $4,787 in Los Gatos, CA, rent and utilities included – about $22,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Los Gatos, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Dallas, TX, United States
Los Gatos, CA, United States
Dallas, TX
🇺🇸 United States
$2,906
/mo nomad
Los Gatos, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$4,787
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dallas, TX and in Los Gatos, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Dallas, TX and in Los Gatos, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,906 per month in Dallas, TX vs $4,787 in Los Gatos, CA, rent included.

  • Dallas, TX $2,906
  • Los Gatos, CA $4,787

A couple spends around $4,346 per month in Dallas, TX vs $7,200 in Los Gatos, CA, rent included.

  • Dallas, TX $4,346
  • Los Gatos, CA $7,200

A family of three spends $5,785 per month in Dallas, TX vs $9,613 in Los Gatos, CA, rent included.

  • Dallas, TX $5,785
  • Los Gatos, CA $9,613

Dallas, TX is about 39% cheaper than Los Gatos, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Dallas, TX and Los Gatos, CA sit above the global median – Dallas, TX by 115%, Los Gatos, CA by 254%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Dallas, TX
Los Gatos, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.74 $20.74
$25.47 $25.47
-18.57%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$95.9 $95.9
$98.0 $98.0
-2.18%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$12.17 $12.17
$15.24 $15.24
-20.14%
Cappuccino
$6.16 $6.16
$6.51 $6.51
-5.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13 $3.13
$2.92 $2.92
7.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.36 $2.36
$2.57 $2.57
-8.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.14 $8.14
$7.90 $7.90
3.04%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.17 $8.17
$8.05 $8.05
1.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Dallas, TX
Los Gatos, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.28 $1.28
-21.88%
White Bread (500g)
$3.24 $3.24
$4.20 $4.20
-22.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.81 $4.81
$4.77 $4.77
0.84%
Eggs
$4.70 $4.70
$6.62 $6.62
-29.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$12.96 $12.96
$24.66 $24.66
-47.45%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.44 $11.44
$11.61 $11.61
-1.46%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.52 $18.52
$13.16 $13.16
40.73%
Apples (1kg)
$5.84 $5.84
$5.35 $5.35
9.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 $1.56
$3.17 $3.17
-50.79%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.93 $4.93
$4.91 $4.91
0.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.11 $4.11
$5.93 $5.93
-30.69%
Potato (1kg)
$2.36 $2.36
$3.29 $3.29
-28.27%
Onion (1kg)
$3.08 $3.08
$3.97 $3.97
-22.42%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.95 $1.95
$3.05 $3.05
-36.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.81 $2.81
$2.63 $2.63
6.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.96 $9.96
$11.98 $11.98
-16.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.22 $16.22
$13.10 $13.10
23.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.54 $3.54
$2.13 $2.13
66.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.43 $4.43
$2.47 $2.47
79.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Dallas, TX
Los Gatos, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.98 $2.98
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$124 $124
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.06 $3.06
$4.11 $4.11
-25.55%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.76 $1.76
$1.83 $1.83
-3.83%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.41 $24.41
$35.36 $35.36
-30.97%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.57 $1.57
-35.03%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.9K $36.9K
$27.9K $27.9K
32.13%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.5K $27.5K
$26.8K $26.8K
2.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dallas, TX
Los Gatos, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$196 $196
$371 $371
-46.97%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$60.2 $60.2
$58.7 $58.7
2.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$65.0 $65.0
$64.3 $64.3
1.17%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Dallas, TX
Los Gatos, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.9 $55.9
$145 $145
-61.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$20.45 $20.45
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$15.28 $15.28
$16.95 $16.95
-9.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Dallas, TX
Los Gatos, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,994 $1,994
$2,150 $2,150
-7.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$35.4K $35.4K
$20.3K $20.3K
74.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Dallas, TX
Los Gatos, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$66.5 $66.5
$51.3 $51.3
29.58%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$48.90 $48.90
$39.25 $39.25
24.59%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$124 $124
$75.2 $75.2
65.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137 $137
$60.2 $60.2
127.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Dallas, TX
Los Gatos, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,806 $1,806
$3,504 $3,504
-48.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,401 $1,401
$3,124 $3,124
-55.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$4,102 $4,102
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,377 $2,377
$6,054 $6,054
-60.74%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,803 $8,803
$3,481 $3,481
152.89%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,009 $3,009
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Dallas, TX
Los Gatos, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,311 $4,311
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.78
6.69
1.35%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Dallas, TX: October 31, 2026

Last update for Los Gatos, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Dallas, TX
$1.4K
Los Gatos, CA
$3.1K 123% $1.7K
Groceries & Markets
Dallas, TX
$425
Los Gatos, CA
$470 10.7% $46
Eating Out
Dallas, TX
$355
Los Gatos, CA
$405 14% $50
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Dallas, TX
$322
Los Gatos, CA
$493 53.4% $172
Clothing & Footwear
Dallas, TX
$170
Los Gatos, CA
$102 40% $68
Getting Around
Dallas, TX
$147
Los Gatos, CA
$13 * 91% $134
Sport & Entertainment
Dallas, TX
$86
Los Gatos, CA
$179 107% $93

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,806 in Dallas, TX versus $3,504 in Los Gatos, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $96 in Dallas, TX versus $98 in Los Gatos, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $425 vs $470 – making Dallas, TX the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Dallas, TX
🇺🇸 Los Gatos, CA
🕒 Local time
17:13 5:13 PM
15:13 3:13 PM
2 h behind Dallas, TX
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,302,638
30,222
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.13 USD (1 USD = 0.888 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Dallas, TX Los Gatos, CA 2,340 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Dallas, TX
  • Los Gatos, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Dallas, TX vs Los Gatos, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Dallas, TX or Los Gatos, CA?
Los Gatos, CA costs about 65% more than Dallas, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from leisure. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Dallas, TX and in Los Gatos, CA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,359 per month in Dallas, TX and $7,181 in Los Gatos, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Dallas, TX or Los Gatos, CA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Dallas, TX, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,806 there versus $3,504 in Los Gatos, CA.
How much does it cost to live in Dallas, TX compared to Los Gatos, CA?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,906 in Dallas, TX and $4,787 in Los Gatos, CA. That makes Dallas, TX about 39% cheaper.
Are groceries more expensive in Dallas, TX or in Los Gatos, CA?
Groceries cost about 11% more in Los Gatos, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Dallas, TX or in Los Gatos, CA?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,906 in Dallas, TX and $4,787 in Los Gatos, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Dallas, TX – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Dallas, TX vs other spots: cost of living compared

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