Dallas and Fort Worth / Budget guide

The full monthly cost of renting in Dallas and Fort Worth

By Homzora Team · September 22, 2026

The advertised rent is only the first line of a North Texas housing budget. Electricity you buy from a company you choose, water billed by formula, parking, tolls and insurance can change the true monthly cost of two similar apartments by a surprising amount.

Start with a realistic picture of rent levels

The most reliable public benchmark is the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. Its five year estimates for 2020 to 2024 put median gross rent at $1,472 in the city of Dallas and $1,509 in the city of Fort Worth.^[1][2] Gross rent is contract rent plus the estimated cost of utilities such as electricity, gas and water when the renter pays them, so it is closer to a household's real housing cost than an advertised price.^[1]

Treat those medians with care. They blend five years of responses from every kind of rental, from older duplexes to new towers, so they usually sit below the asking rents you will see on current listings for newer buildings. Use them to understand the broad market, then use written quotes from the specific properties you are considering to build your own budget. The Dallas and Fort Worth data page explains each public figure we publish and the period it covers.

Texas does not allow ordinary rent control. Under Section 214.902 of the Local Government Code, a city may adopt rent control only if its council finds a housing emergency caused by a disaster and the governor approves.^[3] In practice, that means your rent can rise at renewal by whatever amount the landlord sets, as long as the increase follows the notice terms in your lease. Build that possibility into your plan rather than assuming today's price will hold for several years.

Electricity: you choose the company, so compare the real price

Most of Dallas and Fort Worth sits in the part of Texas where residents choose their own retail electricity provider. Oncor delivers the power over its lines in most of the region, but you buy the electricity itself from a retail company.^[4] The Public Utility Commission of Texas runs the official comparison site, Power to Choose, where you can search plans by ZIP code.^[5]

Not every North Texas address has that choice. Some cities run their own electric utility. Denton Municipal Electric, for example, is a city owned utility that serves Denton.^[6] If an apartment sits in one of those cities, you will be billed by the city utility at its published rates, and the comparison shopping described here does not apply.

When you do choose a plan, read the Electricity Facts Label. State rules require one for every residential plan, and it shows the average price per kilowatt hour at three usage levels: 500, 1,000 and 2,000 kilowatt hours a month.^[7] Many plans look cheap at exactly 1,000 kilowatt hours because of a usage credit, then cost far more at 900 or 1,400. Summer air conditioning in North Texas routinely pushes usage well above spring levels, so compare plans at the usage you expect in July and August, not at the headline figure.

Ask the property for the average electric bill for your specific floor plan over the past year. A top floor unit with western windows can cost noticeably more to cool than an interior unit of the same size. Ask whether the building has older single pane windows, and whether the thermostat is programmable. If the property cannot give you figures, budget for summer bills that are at least double your mildest months.

Water, sewer and trash: find out how the bill is calculated

Many Dallas and Fort Worth apartment communities bill residents for water, wastewater and sometimes trash through a formula rather than an individual meter. Texas regulates two methods.^[8] A submetered bill is based on a meter that measures your unit's use. An allocated bill divides the property's master bill among units using a formula, commonly based on the number of occupants, the square footage of the unit, or a combination.^[8]

The Public Utility Commission sets the rules for both methods. Before you sign, the lease should tell you which method the property uses and how your share is calculated.^[8] You are entitled to ask to see the records the property uses to calculate the charges.^[8] If the property changes its method during your tenancy, it must follow the commission's notice rules.^[8] Ask for the average water, sewer and trash charge for your floor plan and household size, and add any fixed monthly fees for items such as valet trash or pest control that the lease makes compulsory.

Houses and duplexes are different. Water service there usually comes directly from the city utility, with the account either in your name or the owner's. Confirm who holds the account and who pays each part of the bill before you commit.

One time costs: deposits, fees and what Texas law says about them

Texas sets no general limit on the size of a security deposit for private rentals.^[9] State law also sets no maximum application fee; instead, it regulates how applications are handled.^[10] That makes it essential to get every up front charge in writing. Ask for a list that separates refundable money, such as the security deposit, from money you will not get back, such as an application fee, an administrative fee, or a nonrefundable pet fee.

Texas does protect applicants in one important way. Under Property Code Section 92.3515, a landlord who takes applications must make its tenant selection criteria available in writing, including the grounds on which it may deny an application, such as criminal history, rental history, income or credit.^[10] If the landlord rejects you without having made that notice available, it must refund your application fee and any application deposit.^[10]

When you move out, the landlord must refund the deposit, minus lawful deductions with an itemized list, on or before the 30th day after you surrender the home.^[11][12] The landlord may wait until you give a written forwarding address.^[13] It cannot deduct for normal wear and tear.^[12] Our evidence guide explains how to protect that refund from the day you move in.

Late fees have a legal ceiling

Late fees are one of the most common surprise costs in a Texas rental, and they are regulated. Under Property Code Section 92.019, a landlord may charge a late fee only if the fee is disclosed in a written lease, it is reasonable, and some portion of the rent has remained unpaid two full days after the date it was originally due.^[14] The law treats a fee as reasonable if it is no more than 12 percent of the monthly rent in a building with four or fewer units, or no more than 10 percent in a building with more than four units.^[14] A landlord may charge more only if the fee does not exceed its actual uncertain damages from the late payment, which is a harder standard to meet.^[14]

A daily fee can be added to an initial fee, but the two together count as one late fee for purposes of the limit.^[14] A landlord who charges an unlawful late fee can be liable for $100, three times the improper fee, and attorney's fees.^[14] For budgeting, the practical lesson is simple. Set up automatic payment for a day or two before the due date so that a delayed paycheck never turns into a fee of a hundred dollars or more.

Parking, tolls and transit

Transportation can rival utilities in a DFW budget. In Downtown Dallas, Uptown and parts of Oak Lawn, many buildings charge separately for a garage space, and a second vehicle can cost more than the first. Ask whether parking is included, assigned, or sold as an add on, and whether guest parking exists at all.

The region relies heavily on toll roads, including the Dallas North Tollway and the President George Bush Turnpike.^[15] The North Texas Tollway Authority charges lower rates to drivers with a TollTag than to drivers billed by mail through its ZipCash program.^[16] If your likely commute uses a tollway, price it with a TollTag and include the round trip every working day.

Public transit can replace some of that cost. At the time of writing, DART lists a local three hour pass at $3, a local day pass at $6 and a local 31 day pass at $126.^[17] A regional day pass, valid on DART, Trinity Metro and the Denton County Transportation Authority, costs $9, and a regional 31 day pass costs $192.^[17] Trinity Metro lists a single local ride on the Trinity Railway Express at $2.^[17] Fares change, so check the operator's own fare page before you rely on these figures. Our commute guide explains which operator serves each part of the region.

Insurance

Your lease may require renters insurance, and even where it is optional, it is usually inexpensive compared with the cost of replacing your belongings. Read the policy carefully for two gaps. First, most renters policies do not cover flood damage.^[18] Contents coverage for flooding is sold separately, and a new National Flood Insurance Program policy generally takes effect 30 days after purchase.^[18] Second, check whether the policy sets a separate deductible for wind and hail, and how large it is. Your landlord's insurance covers the building, not your furniture, clothing or electronics.

How the budget changes across the region

Dallas and Fort Worth is a region of separate cities, and the same monthly income can stretch very differently depending on where you sign.

Downtown Dallas: Walking and rail access can remove the need for a second car, but garage parking and compulsory service packages can raise the monthly total. Ask for both in writing.
Oak Lawn: Many buildings sit close to employment centers, which can reduce commuting costs. Compare the price of a reserved parking space with the parking included in the lease.
Lakewood: Much of the rental stock is in older homes and small buildings. Ask for past electric bills, because older windows and insulation can raise summer cooling costs, and check whether the lease makes you responsible for lawn care.
Downtown Fort Worth: Trinity Metro buses, the Trinity Railway Express to Dallas and TEXRail to DFW Airport are all nearby.^[19][20] Price a regional pass if you will cross into Dallas County.
Plano: DART rail serves Plano, including the Silver Line that opened in October 2025.^[21] Test whether a station is truly near both your home and your workplace before dropping a car from the budget.
Frisco: Frisco is not a DART member city.^[22] It offers GoZone on demand rides on weekdays through a partnership with the Denton County Transportation Authority, so most households should budget for driving.^[23]
Arlington: The city's main public transit option is Arlington On Demand, a shared ride service operated by Via that you book through an app, so budget for rideshare trips or a car.^[24]

Test a difficult month before you sign

Once you have written figures, build a stress test. Use your highest expected electric bill, add any fixed utility and service fees, include parking, tolls or a transit pass, and add renters insurance. Then compare that total with your take home pay rather than your gross salary. Keep emergency savings separate from the money you need to move in. If the total only works in a mild spring month, the apartment is likely to strain your budget in August.

Finally, remember that a first month concession is not an ongoing discount. If a property offers a free month or a reduced first payment, divide the total cost of the lease by the number of months to find the effective monthly rent, and budget on the full monthly payment you will actually owe at renewal.

Your completion record

Monthly rent and lease length
Electric plan and summer estimate
Water, sewer and trash billing method
Compulsory monthly fees
Refundable and nonrefundable move in costs
Parking, tolls or transit pass
Renters and flood insurance
Total for your hardest month

Keep this record with the written quotes behind each line, and recheck any item that changes before you sign. Use the calculators to test your own figures and the area shortlist to compare locations.

Sources and official resources

Use the planning tools · All Dallas and Fort Worth guides