Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Dallas, TX: $2,885 a month against $4,309 in Tustin, CA, rent and utilities included – about $17,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

210

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

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

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Tustin, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,309

/mo nomad

Dallas, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,885

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,309 per month in Tustin, CA vs $2,885 in Dallas, TX, rent included.

Tustin, CA $4,309
Dallas, TX $2,885

A couple spends around $5,936 per month in Tustin, CA vs $4,299 in Dallas, TX, rent included.

Tustin, CA $5,936
Dallas, TX $4,299

A family of three spends $7,563 per month in Tustin, CA vs $5,713 in Dallas, TX, rent included.

Tustin, CA $7,563
Dallas, TX $5,713

Tustin, CA costs about 49% more than Dallas, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Tustin, CA and Dallas, TX sit above the global median – Tustin, CA by 218%, Dallas, TX by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.14 $25.14

$20.74 $20.74

21.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.5 $69.5

$91.7 $91.7

-24.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.07 $15.07

$11.78 $11.78

27.93%

Cappuccino

$5.73 $5.73

$6.01 $6.01

-4.66%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$3.22 $3.22

-4.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.43 $2.43

-5.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.26 $7.26

$7.97 $7.97

-8.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.74 $9.74

$8.18 $8.18

19.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.03 $1.03

16.50%

White Bread (500g)

$5.12 $5.12

$3.08 $3.08

66.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$4.80 $4.80

-0.42%

Eggs

$4.86 $4.86

$4.74 $4.74

2.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 $15.67

$13.33 $13.33

17.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.43 $13.43

$11.02 $11.02

21.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.17 $15.17

$18.46 $18.46

-17.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$5.80 $5.80

-20.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.54 $1.54

61.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.08 $4.08

$4.88 $4.88

-16.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.19 $4.19

37.47%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$2.39 $2.39

53.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.24 $3.24

-1.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.92 $1.92

8.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.83 $2.83

-4.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.57 $11.57

$10.22 $10.22

13.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.70 $15.70

-5.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.37 $3.37

-27.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$4.58 $4.58

-4.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.04 $3.04

-32.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.59 $34.59

$125 $125

-72.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.08 $3.08

3.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.77 $1.77

2.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.77 $29.77

$23.72 $23.72

25.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$0.99 $0.99

51.52%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$36.4K $36.4K

-19.43%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$27.1K $27.1K

-1.88%

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

$214 $214

$191 $191

12.24%

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

$86.6 $86.6

$60.7 $60.7

42.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$64.9 $64.9

10.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.4 $96.4

$60.1 $60.1

60.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.25 $25.25

$20.21 $20.21

24.94%

Cinema Ticket

$17.30 $17.30

$14.83 $14.83

16.66%

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

$1,465 $1,465

$2,112 $2,112

-30.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.5K $30.5K

$24.8K $24.8K

22.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$64.7 $64.7

11.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.10 $41.10

$49.24 $49.24

-16.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 $105

$120 $120

-12.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$134 $134

9.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,131 $3,131

$1,748 $1,748

79.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,741 $2,741

$1,391 $1,391

97.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,420 $4,420

$3,747 $3,747

17.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,160 $4,160

$2,341 $2,341

77.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,723 $7,723

$9,379 $9,379

-17.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,320 $5,320

$3,190 $3,190

66.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,945 $4,945

$4,481 $4,481

10.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.86

-3.21%

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

Last update for Tustin, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Dallas, TX: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Tustin, CA

$2.7K 63.6%

Dallas, TX

$1.4K 48.2% 49.2% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

Tustin, CA

$453 10.5%

Dallas, TX

$421 14.6% 7.1% $32

Eating Out

Tustin, CA

$392 9.1%

Dallas, TX

$352 12.2% 10.2% $40

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tustin, CA

$372 8.6%

Dallas, TX

$316 11% 15.1% $56

Clothing & Footwear

Tustin, CA

$165 3.8%

Dallas, TX

$166 5.8% 0.7% $1.2

Sport & Entertainment

Tustin, CA

$131 3%

Dallas, TX

$90 3.1% 31.5% $41

Getting Around

Tustin, CA

$55 1.3%

Dallas, TX

$149 5.2% 172% $94

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,131 in Tustin, CA versus $1,748 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 10% higher in Tustin, 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 $69.0 in Tustin, CA versus $92.0 in Dallas, TX. Groceries tell a different story – $453 in Tustin, CA vs $421 in Dallas, TX – so Dallas, TX wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Tustin, CA

🇺🇸 Dallas, TX

🕒 Local time

04:39 4:39 AM

06:39 6:39 AM

2 h ahead of Tustin, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

69,665

1,302,638

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Tustin, CA Dallas, TX 1,950 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Tustin, CA
Dallas, TX

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

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

Tustin, CA costs about 49% more than Dallas, TX, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,464 per month in Tustin, CA and $4,328 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 $1,465 per month in Tustin, CA and $2,112 in Dallas, TX. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Tustin, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,309 in Tustin, CA and $2,885 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 $2,885 versus $4,309 in Tustin, CA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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