Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dallas, TX and Pasadena, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Dallas, TX: $2,908 a month against $4,276 in Pasadena, CA, rent and utilities included – about $16,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pasadena, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

141

Cost of Living Index in Dallas, TX
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Dallas, TX Living Index
207

Cost of Living Index in Pasadena, CA
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Pasadena, CA Living Index

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Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,908

/mo nomad

Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,276

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dallas, TX and in Pasadena, 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 Pasadena, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,908 per month in Dallas, TX vs $4,276 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Dallas, TX $2,908
Pasadena, CA $4,276

A couple spends around $4,359 per month in Dallas, TX vs $6,133 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Dallas, TX $4,359
Pasadena, CA $6,133

A family of three spends $5,809 per month in Dallas, TX vs $7,990 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Dallas, TX $5,809
Pasadena, CA $7,990

Dallas, TX is about 32% cheaper than Pasadena, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Dallas, TX and Pasadena, CA sit above the global median – Dallas, TX by 115%, Pasadena, CA by 217%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.94 $20.94

$17.89 $17.89

17.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.5 $89.5

$76.4 $76.4

17.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.94 $11.94

$10.11 $10.11

18.10%

Cappuccino

$6.29 $6.29

$4.61 $4.61

36.44%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$2.82 $2.82

10.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.59 $1.59

48.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.02 $8.02

$4.95 $4.95

62.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.91 $7.91

$5.71 $5.71

38.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.39 $1.39

-28.78%

White Bread (500g)

$3.23 $3.23

$4.00 $4.00

-19.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$2.93 $2.93

67.24%

Eggs

$4.91 $4.91

$5.22 $5.22

-5.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$13.74 $13.74

-4.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.10 $11.10

$13.94 $13.94

-20.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.83 $18.83

$12.58 $12.58

49.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.75 $5.75

$4.60 $4.60

25.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 $1.56

$2.25 $2.25

-30.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$4.54 $4.54

9.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$6.13 $6.13

-33.28%

Potato (1kg)

$2.31 $2.31

$4.64 $4.64

-50.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.39 $2.39

29.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.86 $1.86

6.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.22 $2.22

27.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.92 $9.92

$11.64 $11.64

-14.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.88 $15.88

$10.96 $10.96

44.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.59 $1.59

111.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.61 $4.61

$1.90 $1.90

142.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.06 $3.06

$1.75 $1.75

74.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$128 $128

$103 $103

24.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.54 $3.54

-17.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.89 $1.89

-4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.20 $24.20

$24.02 $24.02

0.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.58 $1.58

-34.81%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.0K $36.0K

$33.4K $33.4K

7.75%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$28.9K $28.9K

$25.5K $25.5K

13.07%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$194 $194

$248 $248

-22.00%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$60.1 $60.1

$59.1 $59.1

1.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.3 $66.3

$64.4 $64.4

2.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 $60.2

$34.90 $34.90

72.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.71 $20.71

$35.33 $35.33

-41.38%

Cinema Ticket

$14.75 $14.75

$12.21 $12.21

20.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,044 $2,044

$3,835 $3,835

-46.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$15.2K $15.2K

58.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.6 $65.6

$31.04 $31.04

111.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.67 $48.67

$33.98 $33.98

43.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$125 $125

$71.2 $71.2

75.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$142 $142

-3.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,778 $1,778

$3,169 $3,169

-43.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 $1,396

$2,907 $2,907

-51.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,824 $3,824

$5,545 $5,545

-31.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,414 $2,414

$4,978 $4,978

-51.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,298 $9,298

$8,747 $8,747

6.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,128 $3,128

$8,647 $8,647

-63.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,399 $4,399

$5,199 $5,199

-15.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.86

6.33

8.37%

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

Last update for Dallas, TX: October 11, 2026

Last update for Pasadena, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Dallas, TX

$1.4K 48%

Pasadena, CA

$2.9K 68% 108% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Dallas, TX

$424 14.6%

Pasadena, CA

$407 9.5% 4.1% $17

Eating Out

Dallas, TX

$357 12.3%

Pasadena, CA

$282 6.6% 20.8% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dallas, TX

$320 11%

Pasadena, CA

$372 8.7% 16.2% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Dallas, TX

$169 5.8%

Pasadena, CA

$125 2.9% 26.1% $44

Getting Around

Dallas, TX

$152 5.2%

Pasadena, CA

$123 2.9% 19.4% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Dallas, TX

$90 3.1%

Pasadena, CA

$59 1.4% 33.9% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,778 in Dallas, TX versus $3,169 in Pasadena, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 18% higher in Pasadena, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Dallas, TX versus $76.0 in Pasadena, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $424 vs $407 – making Pasadena, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🕒 Local time

19:16 7:16 PM

17:16 5:16 PM

2 h behind Dallas, TX

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,302,638

137,122

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Dallas, TX Pasadena, CA 1,980 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Dallas, TX
Pasadena, 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 Pasadena, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pasadena, CA costs about 47% more than Dallas, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,363 per month in Dallas, TX and $6,414 in Pasadena, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dallas, TX, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,044 per month in Dallas, TX and $3,835 in Pasadena, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 4% cheaper in Pasadena, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,908 in Dallas, TX and $4,276 in Pasadena, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Dallas, TX costs $2,908 versus $4,276 in Pasadena, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Dallas, TX. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pasadena, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.