River Forest, IL vs Dallas, TX: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Dallas, TX has a modeled overall cost index 6.1% higher than River Forest, IL.

River Forest, IL · modeled 2BR rent: $1,800 / month
Dallas, TX · modeled 2BR rent: $1,765 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare River Forest, IL and Dallas, TX using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in River Forest, IL

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $169/month in Dallas, TX

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $152,029 in Dallas, TX

Regional cost estimates: River Forest, IL uses Chicago, IL. Dallas, TX uses Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 6.1%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$169

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$2.0K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

River Forest, IL

Population:11K

Cost Index:

95.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$686K

Dallas, TX

Population:1304K

Cost Index:

101.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$292K

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River Forest, IL

The Prairie State

11K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Illinois, this city has a population of 11K residents.

Dallas, TX

The Lone Star State

1.3M

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Climate

Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

•Major business center
•No state income tax
•Big Tex home

Major Industries

TechnologyFinanceEnergyTransportation

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: River Forest, IL vs Dallas, TX

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	River Forest, IL	Dallas, TX	Difference	Change
Other	$1,554/mo	$1,782/mo	↑ $228more	14.6%
Transportation	$1,486/mo	$1,303/mo	↓ $183less	12.3%
All Utilities	$489/mo	$565/mo	↑ $76.01more	15.5%
Healthcare	$560/mo	$635/mo	↑ $74.13more	13.2%
Housing	$2,440/mo	$2,401/mo	↓ $39.59less	1.6%
Groceries	$970/mo	$983/mo	↑ $13.51more	1.4%

Other

↑ 14.6%

River Forest, IL

$1,554

Dallas, TX

$1,782

Difference

$228

Transportation

↓ 12.3%

River Forest, IL

$1,486

Dallas, TX

$1,303

Difference

$183

less

All Utilities

↑ 15.5%

River Forest, IL

$489

Dallas, TX

$565

Difference

$76.01

Healthcare

↑ 13.2%

River Forest, IL

$560

Dallas, TX

$635

Difference

$74.13

Housing

↓ 1.6%

River Forest, IL

$2,440

Dallas, TX

$2,401

Difference

$39.59

less

Groceries

↑ 1.4%

River Forest, IL

$970

Dallas, TX

$983

Difference

$13.51

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,500

To$1,450

↓ $50.00

1 Bed

From$1,600

To$1,505

↓ $95.00

2 Bed

From$1,800

To$1,765

↓ $35.00

3 Bed

From$2,320

To$2,220

↓ $100

River Forest, ILZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,600–$1,600/mo

Dallas, TXZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,040–$2,470/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in River Forest, IL

$7,669

Monthly in Dallas, TX

$169

Difference

Home Values

River Forest

Dallas

$686K

Median Value

$292K

↑ +10%

YoY Change

↓ -3.1%

↑ +33.9%

5-Year Change

↑ +27.1%

$686K

Price Range

$138K - $2.01M

Homes in Dallas are 57% less expensive than River Forest

Calculate payment - River Forest Calculate payment - Dallas

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $7.4K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$619

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

4.9%

Rate difference

River Forest, IL

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Illinois State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.4K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.6%

$44.4K

Take-Home Pay

$8,797/month

$105.6K

Dallas, TX

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Texas State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

River Forest, IL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.8%

Property Tax:2.2%

Dallas, TX Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%

Property Tax:1.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

River Forest, IL: No data yet

Dallas, TX

19/100

3.8% sidewalk tags · 1.6% cycling tags

Environment

River Forest

Dallas

54 Moderate

Air Quality

55 Moderate

35.8%

Good Air Days

35.2%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🌪

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

90 days

▲+3.2°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

18 days

Heat Days >95°F

90 days

Before moving from River Forest, IL to Dallas, TX

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Dallas, TX for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in River Forest, IL. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your River Forest to Dallas moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Dallas, TX by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: River Forest, IL vs Dallas, TX

How do the cost estimates for River Forest, IL and Dallas, TX compare?

Dallas, TX has a modeled overall cost index 6.1% higher than River Forest, IL. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in River Forest, IL, the model estimates $152,029 in Dallas, TX. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for River Forest, IL and Dallas, TX?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,800/month in River Forest, IL and $1,765/month in Dallas, TX. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Illinois and Texas on TaxTakeHome.com