Question 1

Is Arlington or El Paso cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

El Paso, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $532/month less than in Arlington, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,723/mo in Arlington versus $1,191/mo in El Paso.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Arlington vs El Paso?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $72,000/year before tax in Arlington, TX and $61,500/year in El Paso, TX — a difference of about $10,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Arlington or El Paso cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

El Paso, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,857/month in Arlington and $6,885/month in El Paso, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Arlington or El Paso?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. El Paso costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Arlington73	El Paso81
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,111	$3,579
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,857	$6,885
Salary for comfort	$72,000/yr	$61,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,723	$1,191
Median home value	$276,400	$171,700
Median household income	$73,519	$58,734
Unemployment	4.1%	4.2%
Housing score	60	86
Jobs score	58	54
Safety score	65	98
Climate score	96	94
Amenities score	73	39
Population	394.8K	678.1K
Summer high / winter low	94° / 35°	95° / 33°

Arlington, TX vs El Paso, TX