Cost of Living · Texas

Garland Cost of Living

Garland, Texas costs approximately 4.0% below the US national average. Compare with 99 other major US cities.

0.96×
cost-of-living index (1.00 = US national average)
Garland ranks 7 of 12 cities in Texas by cost of living.
Cities MORE expensive than Garland (61)
San Francisco, CA
+51.0% more expensive
Oakland, CA
+40.6% more expensive
New York City, NY
+37.5% more expensive
Honolulu, HI
+35.4% more expensive
Irvine, CA
+35.4% more expensive
Los Angeles, CA
+27.1% more expensive
Boston, MA
+27.1% more expensive
San Diego, CA
+26.0% more expensive
Yonkers, NY
+25.0% more expensive
Anchorage, AK
+25.0% more expensive
Seattle, WA
+22.9% more expensive
Long Beach, CA
+22.9% more expensive
Anaheim, CA
+22.9% more expensive
Scottsdale, AZ
+22.9% more expensive
Chula Vista, CA
+19.8% more expensive
Miami, FL
+16.7% more expensive
Portland, OR
+14.6% more expensive
Newark, NJ
+14.6% more expensive
Sacramento, CA
+14.6% more expensive
Riverside, CA
+14.6% more expensive
Denver, CO
+12.5% more expensive
Chicago, IL
+9.4% more expensive
Austin, TX
+9.4% more expensive
Baltimore, MD
+9.4% more expensive
Stockton, CA
+9.4% more expensive
Aurora, CO
+9.4% more expensive
Hialeah, FL
+9.4% more expensive
Frisco, TX
+9.4% more expensive
Las Vegas, NV
+8.3% more expensive
Minneapolis, MN
+8.3% more expensive
Plano, TX
+8.3% more expensive
Chandler, AZ
+8.3% more expensive
Phoenix, AZ
+6.3% more expensive
Philadelphia, PA
+6.3% more expensive
Atlanta, GA
+6.3% more expensive
Tampa, FL
+6.3% more expensive
Henderson, NV
+6.3% more expensive
Reno, NV
+6.3% more expensive
Gilbert, AZ
+6.3% more expensive
Charleston, SC
+6.3% more expensive
Salt Lake City, UT
+6.3% more expensive
Orlando, FL
+5.2% more expensive
Wilmington, DE
+4.2% more expensive
Raleigh, NC
+4.2% more expensive
Virginia Beach, VA
+4.2% more expensive
St. Paul, MN
+4.2% more expensive
Chesapeake, VA
+4.2% more expensive
North Las Vegas, NV
+4.2% more expensive
Boise, ID
+4.2% more expensive
Fresno, CA
+4.2% more expensive
Worcester, MA
+4.2% more expensive
Dallas, TX
+3.1% more expensive
Nashville, TN
+3.1% more expensive
Colorado Springs, CO
+3.1% more expensive
Bakersfield, CA
+3.1% more expensive
St. Petersburg, FL
+3.1% more expensive
Madison, WI
+3.1% more expensive
Norfolk, VA
+2.1% more expensive
Jacksonville, FL
+1.0% more expensive
Charlotte, NC
+1.0% more expensive
Mesa, AZ
+1.0% more expensive

What living in Garland costs

Garland carries a cost index of 0.96x the national baseline, placing it above 33 of the 99 metros tracked and below 61. Rent runs about $1,150 monthly; the median home is near $300,000.

The price-to-rent ratio here is roughly 22, which is high. Above about 20, renting and investing the down payment usually beats buying over a normal holding period — the purchase price is steep relative to what the same property earns as a rental.

Working and living here

Garland is a metro of roughly 0.2M and roughly flat, running on manufacturing, electronics, retail. Larger employers include Raytheon (RTX), Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, Garland ISD.

Texas levies no state income tax and Garland adds no local one, so the only income tax withheld here is federal. That is worth several thousand dollars a year against a comparable salary in a taxing state — though property and sales taxes in no-income-tax states tend to run above average, so the advantage narrows once you buy.

Getting around: Garland is served by limited transit. Budget for a car — around $9,000 a year all-in once insurance, fuel, maintenance and parking are counted, a cost the index assumes but does not itemise.

Climate: January highs near 56°F/lows near 34°F; July highs near 96°F/lows near 76°F, hot and humid.

Part of the DFW Metroplex with DART light-rail access into Dallas, offering better transit than most Texas suburbs; no state income tax.

Related tools

Paycheck calculator — take-home after federal, state and local tax. Salary calculator — pay by job and state. Compare against another metro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Garland expensive to live in?
Relative to the US average, roughly average — the cost index is 0.96x, above 33 and below 61 of the 99 other metros tracked here. A one-bedroom averages $1,150 a month and the median home $300,000.
What salary do you need to live comfortably in Garland?
A common rule keeps rent under 30% of gross income, which at $1,150 a month implies about $46,000 a year for a one-bedroom. That is a floor rather than a comfortable figure — it leaves nothing for savings or the car this metro effectively requires.