Inside this guide
- Chicago vs Dallas cost of living for renters
- Getting around: DART vs the L
- Where to rent in Dallas if you are coming from Chicago
- Weather: what changes after Chicago
- How renting works in Dallas
- Your first weeks in Texas
- Moving from Chicago to Dallas: costs to plan
- Frequently asked questions
- Want help finding your Dallas apartment? It’s free.
- Related guides
By Alexander Concepcion, Taco Street Locating (TREC 676818). Updated Nov 12, 2026. Rents from Apartment List’s November 2026 rent reports and Taco Street’s own catalog (pulled Nov 12, 2026). Walk Scores checked Nov 12, 2026 on walkscore.com. Tax and transit facts checked Nov 12, 2026 on official sites.
Quick answer: Moving from Chicago to Dallas usually lowers your rent and your state income tax, but it raises how much you drive. Apartment List’s November 2026 rent reports put the median one-bedroom rent at $1,723 in Chicago and $1,207 in Dallas. Illinois taxes individual income at a flat 4.95 percent, while the Texas Comptroller states that “Texas does not have a personal income tax.” The big change is getting around: Chicago’s Walk Score is 77 and Dallas’s is 46 (Walk Score, Nov 12, 2026), so most Dallas renters need a car unless they live in Uptown, Downtown, Deep Ellum or near a DART rail station.
Start My Free Dallas Apartment Search
Free for renters. Tell Alexander your budget, move date and where you will work, and get a Dallas shortlist within the same day.
Chicago vs Dallas cost of living for renters
Short answer: Rent and state income tax are lower in Dallas. Car costs are usually higher.
| Chicago | Dallas | Source (checked Nov 12, 2026) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median 1BR rent | $1,723 | $1,207 | Apartment List November 2026 rent reports for Chicago and Dallas |
| Median 2BR rent | $1,875 | $1,428 | Same |
| Median rent, all sizes | $1,858 | $1,321 | Same |
| State income tax on individuals | 4.95 percent of net income | None | Illinois Department of Revenue; Texas Comptroller |
| Citywide Walk Score | 77 | 46 | Walk Score for Chicago and Dallas |
| Citywide Transit Score | 65 | 39 | Same |
In Taco Street’s own Dallas catalog, the middle one-bedroom starting price was $1,283 across 1,670 listings that link to the property’s own website (Taco Street catalog, Nov 12, 2026). That is a starting rent from our listings, not a market average, and newer buildings in Uptown and Downtown usually list higher.
What can cost more in Dallas: a car, insurance and parking if you sell your car in Chicago, plus electricity in summer. Many Dallas apartments also charge required monthly fees on top of rent, so compare total monthly prices, not base rent.
Getting around: DART vs the L
Short answer: Dallas has a large light rail system, but it covers a much bigger, more spread out area, so most renters still drive.
DART says its rail system “is one of the longest light rail systems in the United States at 93 miles,” with four lines (Red, Blue, Green and Orange), all passing through downtown Dallas (DART, checked Nov 12, 2026). DART also runs the Silver Line toward DFW Airport, and the Trinity Railway Express connects Dallas and Fort Worth.
The difference from Chicago is density. Walk Score ranks Chicago the 4th most walkable large US city with “good public transportation,” while it ranks Dallas 26th and says Dallas “has some public transportation” (Nov 12, 2026). If you are used to walking to the L, choose a Dallas address within a short walk of a DART station and check its Walk Score before you sign.
Where to rent in Dallas if you are coming from Chicago
Short answer: Uptown, Downtown, Deep Ellum and Bishop Arts are the closest to a walkable Chicago neighborhood.
| Area | Sample address | Walk Score | Transit Score | Nearest DART rail from the sample address |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Downtown | 1600 Main St | 97 | 89 | 6 minute walk to Akard Station (Blue, Green and Orange lines; Red Line also within 0.2 miles) |
| Uptown | 2500 McKinney Ave | 96 | 66 | 20 minute walk to Victory Station (Green and Orange lines and the TRE); bus 209 McKinney/Cole stops about 0.1 miles away |
| Bishop Arts (North Oak Cliff) | 400 N Bishop Ave | 95 | 53 | Red Line about 1.2 miles away; buses 226 and 109 nearby |
| Deep Ellum | 2700 Elm St | 86 | n/a | 7 minute walk to Baylor Station (Blue, Green and Orange lines; Red Line also within 0.2 miles) |
| Deep Ellum neighborhood average | n/a | 76 | 76 | n/a |
Source: Walk Score address pages and the Dallas neighborhood rankings, checked Nov 12, 2026.
Uptown is the most Chicago-like for daily walking: restaurants, bars and grocery stores along McKinney Avenue, Klyde Warren Park at its southern edge and the Katy Trail for running and biking. Most apartments are mid-rise and high-rise buildings with garage parking.
Downtown has the best rail access, with all four DART light rail lines meeting downtown. Main Street Garden and Dallas City Hall Plaza are nearby, and most apartments are high-rises and mid-rises with garage parking.
Deep Ellum is east of Downtown, known for live music venues, restaurants and murals, with Baylor Station on the DART lines a short walk from Elm Street.
Bishop Arts in North Oak Cliff is a small district of local shops and restaurants southwest of Downtown, with low-rise and mid-rise apartments nearby. It scores high for walking but has less rail.
Read more: the most walkable neighborhoods in Dallas, Uptown vs Downtown Dallas, Deep Ellum neighborhood guide and Downtown Dallas renter’s guide.
Start My Free Dallas Apartment Search
Free for renters. Alexander matches you with buildings near DART stations or near your office, and sends the list within the same day.
Weather: what changes after Chicago
Short answer: Dallas trades Chicago’s long, snowy winters for long, hot summers.
Plan for air conditioning to run most of the summer, which shows up in your electric bill. In Texas, electricity is usually in your name, so ask each building which utilities are included and which provider serves the address. Winters are much milder than in Chicago, with occasional freezes and ice rather than months of snow.
How renting works in Dallas
- Pricing: many Dallas buildings list a base rent plus required monthly fees (such as trash, pest control or amenity fees). Ask for the total monthly price.
- Deposits and fees: application fees, admin fees and deposits vary by building. Ask each building for its fee list before you apply.
- Parking: surface parking is common in the suburbs. In Uptown and Downtown, garage parking is often a separate monthly charge.
- Specials: move-in offers change often and come with conditions such as lease length and move-in date. Read the terms on the building’s own site.
- Timing: availability changes daily, so send your move date as soon as you know it.
Your first weeks in Texas
- Set up electricity in your name before move-in.
- Driver license: Texas DPS says you can drive with a valid, unexpired out-of-state license “for up to 90-days after moving to Texas.”
- Vehicle registration: TxDMV says “You have 30 days from the time you move here to register your vehicle in the state.”
- If you are moving mid-year, ask a tax professional how part-year Illinois residency works for you.
Moving from Chicago to Dallas: costs to plan
Short answer: Quotes depend on your volume, dates and service level, so get written quotes from at least three movers.
Ask each mover whether the quote is binding, what it includes for packing and stairs or elevators, and whether your Dallas building requires a moving reservation or a certificate of insurance. If you plan to sell your car before leaving Chicago, price a car in Dallas into your move budget.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dallas cheaper than Chicago?
On rent and state income tax, yes. Apartment List’s November 2026 rent reports put the median one-bedroom rent at $1,723 in Chicago and $1,207 in Dallas, and Texas has no personal income tax while Illinois taxes individual income at 4.95 percent. Most Dallas renters also pay for a car.
How much is rent in Dallas compared to Chicago?
Apartment List’s November 2026 medians are $1,207 for a one-bedroom and $1,428 for a two-bedroom in Dallas, compared with $1,723 and $1,875 in Chicago. In Taco Street’s Dallas catalog, the middle one-bedroom starting price was $1,283 across 1,670 listings (Nov 12, 2026; not a market average).
Do I pay state income tax after moving from Illinois to Texas?
Texas does not have a personal income tax, according to the Texas Comptroller. Illinois taxes individual income at a flat 4.95 percent of net income, according to the Illinois Department of Revenue. Ask a tax professional about the year you move.
Can you live in Dallas without a car?
In a few areas, yes. Downtown (1600 Main St, Walk Score 97) and Uptown (2500 McKinney Ave, Walk Score 96) are walkable and near DART rail, but Dallas overall scores 46 and most of the metro is car-dependent (Walk Score, Nov 12, 2026).
Which Dallas neighborhoods feel most like Chicago?
For walking, Uptown, Downtown, Deep Ellum and Bishop Arts. Downtown and Deep Ellum are a short walk from DART light rail stations, and Uptown has bus 209 McKinney/Cole and the Katy Trail.
Is a Dallas apartment locator free?
Yes. Taco Street Locating is free for renters. Alexander sends a Dallas shortlist within the same day by phone, text or email.
Want help finding your Dallas apartment? It’s free.
Taco Street Locating is free for renters. We’ve helped 800+ renters find a home, and we have 200+ 5-star Google reviews. I’m Alexander Concepcion, and I’m personally involved in every search. Reach me by phone or text at 512-790-6656 or by email at [email protected], and I’ll send you a shortlist within the same day.
Start My Free Dallas Apartment Search
Taco Street Locating, TREC license 676818. We follow federal, Texas and local fair housing laws. We describe buildings, prices and locations, and we help every renter the same way. TREC Consumer Protection Notice.