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Dallas
#25 of 124
North America

Dallas

TX, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Dallas compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Dallas is 22% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Dallas compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$131,000
-$141K (-52%) vs San Francisco
Based on 1867 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$91,962
-$80K (-47%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 30%

Community Insights

New

Dallas presents itself as a highly practical choice for software engineers, prioritizing financial health and living space over the scenic or cultural allure of coastal tech cities. While it lacks the "cool factor" of Austin or the startup density of San Francisco, it compensates with a robust enterprise job market and a cost of living that allows high-earners to live lavishly. The data supports this, showing a strong purchasing power rank and affordable housing relative to net income. However, the lifestyle is defined by suburban sprawl, requiring a car for almost everything, and residents must endure intense summer heat.

Resident Sentiment

Transplants generally feel satisfied with the financial upgrade, often boasting about how much further their salary goes compared to where they moved from. There is a strong sentiment that Dallas is "boring but comfortable"—residents love their houses and amenities but frequently complain about the monotony of the landscape, the heat, and the endless driving. Many view it as a strategic, long-term move for building wealth rather than a passion-driven location choice.

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Net Income

Top 19%

#24

of 124 cities

$91,962/yr

Current value

Purchasing Power

Top 20%

#25

of 124 cities

Home Affordability

Top 24%

#30

of 124 cities

≈4.5 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Dallas compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$5,217 / m²
48% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Dallas to maintain the same standard of living.

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Cost of Living
32% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Dallas

Amazon logo
Amazon
Salesforce logo
Salesforce
Google logo
Google

The Good

  • High purchasing power for software engineers; the combination of competitive tech salaries and no state income tax allows for significant savings.
  • Housing affordability is a major draw; unlike coastal tech hubs, it is realistic for engineers to buy a spacious home with a yard relatively early in their careers.
  • Diverse tech job market dominated by stability; while less "startup-heavy" than Austin, there is a massive volume of roles in corporate enterprise, finance (FinTech), defense, and telecommunications.
  • World-class travel connectivity via DFW Airport, which serves as a major hub, making it ideal for remote workers or consultants who need to travel frequently.
  • Family-friendly suburbs with highly rated school districts (e.g., Plano, Frisco) that are popular among tech transplants settling down.

The Bad

  • Extreme car dependency and urban sprawl; public transit is limited, and residents frequently complain that "you have to drive 20 minutes to get anywhere."
  • Oppressive summer heat; temperatures consistently exceed 35°C (95°F+), forcing residents indoors for months and leading to high utility bills.
  • Lack of natural scenery and outdoor activities; residents often describe the landscape as "flat and concrete" with very few hiking or elevation options compared to Austin or the West Coast.
  • Corporate culture over "tech culture"; the vibe is more suit-and-tie or business-casual than the hoodie-wearing startup ethos found in other hubs.
  • Traffic congestion is a frequent complaint, especially for those commuting from affordable northern suburbs to downtown or office parks.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Value-driven engineers and families looking to maximize their income-to-lifestyle ratio. It is ideal for those who want to buy a large home, save aggressively (thanks to no state income tax), and prefer the stability of established corporate employers over volatile startups. Professionals who value easy access to an international airport for travel will also thrive here.

Skip it if...

Urbanists and outdoor enthusiasts will likely struggle. If you rely on public transportation, walkable neighborhoods, or access to mountains and nature for weekend hiking, Dallas will feel suffocating. Similarly, engineers strictly seeking a cutting-edge startup environment or deep "hacker culture" may find the city's tech scene too corporate and distributed.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather3.8/10-56% vs San Francisco
Safety48+23%
Pollution41-17%
Events6-88%
3.8/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
25°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
Average Low
15°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
Sunshine Hours
2,850h/yr-212h/yr(-7%)
Hottest Month High
35°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
Coldest Month Low
4°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
Rainy Days
84/yr+36/yr(+73%)

Community & Quality

Dallas community pulse

Dallas has 6 Luma events listed.

88% fewer events than San Francisco.

Tax Rate

Middle of the pack

#45

of 124 cities

30%

Current value (lower is better)

Pollution Score

Middle of the pack

#50

of 124 cities

40.9/100

Current value (lower is better)

Community Events

Middle of the pack

#53

of 124 cities

6 events on luma

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Middle of the pack

#76

of 124 cities

38/100 weather score

Current value

Safety Index

Bottom 33%

#84

of 124 cities

48.3/100

Current value

Cost of Living

Bottom 28%

#90

of 124 cities

61/100

Current value (lower is better)

SWE Affordability
4.5 years
0.1 years quicker than San Francisco
Muggy Days
109/yr+109/yr(+54550%)
Cloud Cover
36%(vs 34% in San Francisco)