Question 1

Is Arlington or Jacksonville cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $33/month less than in Arlington, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,723/mo in Arlington versus $1,658/mo in Jacksonville.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Arlington vs Jacksonville?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $72,000/year before tax in Arlington, TX and $71,500/year in Jacksonville, FL — a difference of about $500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Arlington or Jacksonville cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Jacksonville, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,857/month in Arlington and $7,647/month in Jacksonville, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Arlington or Jacksonville?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Jacksonville 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	Jacksonville64
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,111	$4,078
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,857	$7,647
Salary for comfort	$72,000/yr	$71,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,723	$1,658
Median home value	$276,400	$266,100
Median household income	$73,519	$66,981
Unemployment	4.1%	4.7%
Housing score	60	55
Jobs score	58	26
Safety score	65	65
Climate score	96	100
Amenities score	73	41
Population	394.8K	961.7K
Summer high / winter low	94° / 35°	91° / 45°

Arlington, TX vs Jacksonville, FL