Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

207

Cost of Living Index in Pasadena, CA
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Pasadena, CA Living Index
141

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

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Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,276

/mo nomad

Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,908

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pasadena, CA costs about 47% more than Dallas, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.89 $17.89

$20.94 $20.94

-14.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$89.5 $89.5

-14.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$11.94 $11.94

-15.33%

Cappuccino

$4.61 $4.61

$6.29 $6.29

-26.71%

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

$2.82 $2.82

$3.11 $3.11

-9.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.36 $2.36

-32.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.95 $4.95

$8.02 $8.02

-38.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 $5.71

$7.91 $7.91

-27.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.99 $0.99

40.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$3.23 $3.23

23.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$4.90 $4.90

-40.20%

Eggs

$5.22 $5.22

$4.91 $4.91

6.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.74 $13.74

$13.15 $13.15

4.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$11.10 $11.10

25.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.58 $12.58

$18.83 $18.83

-33.19%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$5.75 $5.75

-20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.56 $1.56

44.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.54 $4.54

$4.96 $4.96

-8.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$4.09 $4.09

49.88%

Potato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$2.31 $2.31

100.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.09 $3.09

-22.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.99 $1.99

-6.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.84 $2.84

-21.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.64 $11.64

$9.92 $9.92

17.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 $10.96

$15.88 $15.88

-30.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 $1.59

$3.36 $3.36

-52.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$4.61 $4.61

-58.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.75 $1.75

$3.06 $3.06

-42.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 $103

$128 $128

-19.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.93 $2.93

20.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.80 $1.80

5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.02 $24.02

$24.20 $24.20

-0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.03 $1.03

53.40%

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

$33.4K $33.4K

$36.0K $36.0K

-7.19%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$28.9K $28.9K

-11.56%

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

$248 $248

$194 $194

28.20%

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

$59.1 $59.1

$60.1 $60.1

-1.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$64.4 $64.4

$66.3 $66.3

-2.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.90 $34.90

$60.2 $60.2

-42.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.33 $35.33

$20.71 $20.71

70.59%

Cinema Ticket

$12.21 $12.21

$14.75 $14.75

-17.22%

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

$3,835 $3,835

$2,044 $2,044

87.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.2K $15.2K

$24.1K $24.1K

-37.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.04 $31.04

$65.6 $65.6

-52.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.98 $33.98

$48.67 $48.67

-30.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 $71.2

$125 $125

-42.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$137 $137

3.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,169 $3,169

$1,778 $1,778

78.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,907 $2,907

$1,396 $1,396

108.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,545 $5,545

$3,824 $3,824

45.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,978 $4,978

$2,414 $2,414

106.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,747 $8,747

$9,298 $9,298

-5.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,647 $8,647

$3,128 $3,128

176.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,199 $5,199

$4,399 $4,399

18.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

6.86

-7.73%

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

Last update for Pasadena, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Dallas, TX: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pasadena, CA

$2.9K 68%

Dallas, TX

$1.4K 48% 52% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Pasadena, CA

$407 9.5%

Dallas, TX

$424 14.6% 4.2% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pasadena, CA

$372 8.7%

Dallas, TX

$320 11% 13.9% $52

Eating Out

Pasadena, CA

$282 6.6%

Dallas, TX

$357 12.3% 26.3% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Pasadena, CA

$125 2.9%

Dallas, TX

$169 5.8% 35.3% $44

Getting Around

Pasadena, CA

$123 2.9%

Dallas, TX

$152 5.2% 24% $29

Sport & Entertainment

Pasadena, CA

$59 1.4%

Dallas, TX

$90 3.1% 51.2% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,169 in Pasadena, CA versus $1,778 in Dallas, TX. 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 $76.0 in Pasadena, CA versus $90.0 in Dallas, TX. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $407 vs $424 – making Pasadena, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 Dallas, TX

🕒 Local time

14:24 2:24 PM

16:24 4:24 PM

2 h ahead of Pasadena, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

137,122

1,302,638

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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

From you

Pasadena, CA
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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

Pasadena, CA vs Dallas, TX: 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 $6,414 per month in Pasadena, CA and $4,363 in Dallas, TX. 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 $3,835 per month in Pasadena, CA and $2,044 in Dallas, TX. 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 $4,276 in Pasadena, CA and $2,908 in Dallas, TX. 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.