Cost of living: Caracas vs. Dallas

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At a glance

2.5×
more expensive than Caracas
11.7×
Healthcare — biggest jump
$1,257/mo
Full-time min. wage
$3,160/mo
One person's basics

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Life in Dallas

Dallas grew up at a crossing of the Trinity River and now anchors the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-most populous metro area in the US. Summers are hot, with July and August highs averaging 96°F. Defense, finance, tech, telecom and transportation drive jobs, supported by DFW Airport, the main hub of American Airlines. In 2020, 42.3% of the city's residents were Hispanic or Latino.

Dallas

A booming jobs market with no state income tax.

Monthly breakdown

What everyday life costs in each city, side by side.

1
Total
Caracas
$1,260
Dallas
$3,160

Estimated monthly costs for one adult: typical rent across the metro area, USDA's moderate-cost food plan and U.S. government spending data — a typical budget, not a minimum.

Sources, updated September 2026: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (Regional Price Parities, 2024); U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (Consumer Expenditure Surveys, 2024; Consumer Price Index); U.S. Department of Agriculture (Food Plans, July 2026); Federal Communications Commission (Urban Rate Survey, 2026); U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Fair Market Rents, FY2026); U.S. Energy Information Administration (weekly retail gasoline prices); official fare pages of each city's transit agency; Latin America: crowdsourced cost-of-living platforms, used for reference.

Caracas figures are collected from online sources.

Cost of living by US city

15 cities, ranked by monthly cost for one person

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Frequently asked questions

Is Dallas more expensive than Caracas?

For one adult, Dallas is 2.5× more expensive than Caracas: about $3,160 a month, compared with about $1,260 in Caracas.

What is the monthly cost difference between Caracas and Dallas?

About $1,900 a month for one adult: $3,160 in Dallas versus $1,260 in Caracas. Change the number of adults above to see your household's figures.

Which costs change the most between Caracas and Dallas?

Healthcare shows the biggest jump: it costs 11.7× as much in Dallas as in Caracas.

How does rent compare between Caracas and Dallas?

A one-bedroom apartment rents for about $1,458 a month in Dallas and about $420 in Caracas. Rents exclude utilities.

Can a minimum-wage job cover the costs in Dallas?

A full-time minimum-wage job in Dallas ($7.25 an hour) pays about $1,257 a month before taxes. Typical costs for one adult there are about $3,160 a month. Add your income above to see what would be left each month.

How is the cost of living measured?

We add up typical monthly costs for one adult in six categories: housing, healthcare, groceries, utilities, transit and other everyday spending. U.S. figures are calculated from government data (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Bureau of Economic Analysis, HUD and the Energy Information Administration) plus transit agencies' published fares. Latin American figures come from crowdsourced cost-of-living platforms, and their healthcare costs are a modeled estimate. Minimum wages are each city's local rate where it has one, otherwise the state rate published by the U.S. Department of Labor. Both cities' figures were last updated in 2026.

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