Financial Planning

Dallas Budget Guide

The honest truth about what a week in Dallas actually costs — from stadium snacks to hotel rates to tipping culture. Plan your budget before you arrive and avoid the nasty surprises.

Daily Budget by Tier

How Much Will You Spend?

Per person per day, excluding match tickets and accommodation. All prices in USD.

Per person per day, excluding match tickets and accommodation. All prices in USD.

Budget
$60–90
per day
  • →Fast food or food trucks ($8–12/meal)
  • →DART for all transport
  • →Free fan zones & parks
  • →Budget hostel or VRBO shared apartment
  • →Free museums (DMA is free daily)
Mid-Range ★
$150–220
per day
  • →Sit-down restaurants ($20–35/meal)
  • →Occasional Uber ($15–25/trip)
  • →Paid attractions ($20–30)
  • →Mid-range hotel or private VRBO rental
  • →Most people fall in this range
Splurge
$350+
per day
  • →Fine dining ($80–150/meal)
  • →Uber Black everywhere
  • →Luxury hotel (Omni, Ritz, etc.)
  • →Premium stadium experiences
  • →Shopping at Northpark / Galleria

What Things Cost

Price Reality Check

Food & Drink
McDonald's combo $10–13
Food truck meal $12–16
Casual restaurant (per person) $20–35
Pecan Lodge BBQ plate $22–30
Fine dining (per person) $75–150
Stadium hotdog $8–12
Stadium water $6–8
Coffee (café) $5–7
Transport & Activities
DART single trip $2.50
DART day pass $6
Uber (downtown to stadium) $35–80*
Rental car (per day) $60–120
Stadium parking $30–60
Dallas Museum of Art Free
Perot Museum of Nature $25–30
Dallas Zoo (adult) $20–25
* Match day surge pricing — can be 3–5× normal

Tipping Culture

Tipping in Texas

Tipping is not optional in the US. Service staff are often paid below minimum wage with the expectation that tips make up the difference. Not tipping is considered rude and can cause genuine financial hardship for the worker. Budget for it.
Restaurants (sit-down)
18–20%
of the pre-tax bill. 20% is standard. 15% for poor service, 25%+ for excellent.
Food delivery
15–20%
Select in the app before checkout. $3 minimum even for small orders.
Uber / Lyft
10–15%
In the app after the ride. $1–2 minimum for short trips.
Hotel housekeeping
$2–5
Per day, left in the room. Leave cash — housekeeping staff can't access your card tips.
Coffee / counter service
$1–2
Optional but appreciated. The digital tip screen will prompt you — feel free to decline at a fast food counter.
Tax on top
+8.25%
Texas sales tax. Not included in menu prices. Your final bill will be noticeably higher than the menu suggests.

Save Money

Budget Smart Tips

🏛️
Dallas Museum of Art is Free
General admission is free every day. One of the best art museums in the American South — world-class collection, no charge. A great air-conditioned option on a hot afternoon.
🚆
DART saves $30–50 per day
A DART day pass is $6. The equivalent in Uber rides to the same places is $50–80. Use DART for anything downtown and save the Ubers for when there's truly no transit option.
💳
Use Wise or Revolut
Airport ATMs and currency exchange booths charge 5–8% in fees. A Wise or Revolut card gives you near-perfect exchange rates with no hidden charges. Set one up before you fly.
🌮
Food trucks for lunch
Dallas has an excellent food truck scene. Excellent tacos, BBQ, and international food for $10–14. Save the sit-down restaurants for dinner and use food trucks and markets for lunch.
🏟️
BYOW to the stadium (water)
Empty refillable water bottles are permitted through AT&T Stadium security. Fill up at water fountains inside. Stadium water costs $6–8 per bottle — a family of 4 saves $25+ per match.
🛒
Walmart / HEB for snacks
Stock up on snacks and drinks from a grocery store for your hotel room. HEB and Walmart are a fraction of the cost of convenience stores and hotel minibars.

Related Guides

Keep Exploring

→Where to Stay→Where to Eat in Dallas→Getting Around on DART→Shopping in Dallas