Hi there! As a long-time Allen resident, I can give you a pretty good overview of the costs. Housing is one of the bigger expenses – you can find decent 1-bedroom apartments outside the city center for around $1,500. In the downtown area, expect to pay at least $1,800-$2,000 for something comparable. Utilities like electricity, water, internet, etc. will probably run you $300-$400 per month.

Grocery costs are pretty average – you can do your regular shopping at places like Kroger or Tom Thumb for $300-$400 per month depending on how fancy you want to get. Eating out is reasonable too, with most casual restaurants having $12-18 entrees.

Transportation is a mixed bag – gas is relatively cheap around $3 per gallon, but a monthly transit pass will cost you $60. Parking downtown can also get pricey. Healthcare costs are on par with the rest of the metroplex.

Overall, I’d budget around $3,000 per month for a comfortable middle-class lifestyle if you’re renting. The suburbs definitely help keep costs down compared to living in downtown Dallas. Allen has a lot of great amenities while still being relatively affordable!

I agree with AllenNative’s estimates for the most part. The cost of living in Allen is pretty moderate overall, especially compared to cities like Plano or Frisco. Housing will likely be your biggest monthly expense – you can find nice 1-beds in good areas for $1,400-$1,800. Utilities for a 1-bed apartment run me about $150-$200 per month.

Groceries are cheap if you stick to stores like Aldi, Walmart, or Winco. I spend $250-$300 per month on food by buying generic brands and avoiding too many prepared/restaurant meals. That said, there are also plenty of great local/ethnic markets in Allen with amazing prices on produce.

My two biggest savings compared to other DFW suburbs are healthcare and transportation. Allen has a few clinics and imaging centers that offer very affordable direct pay options for routine care. And you can get by without a car by using the DART rail system and occasional Uber/Lyft.

The one area Allen falls a bit short is entertainment. There aren’t a ton of ethnic restaurants, bars, or nightlife compared to Dallas proper. But you’re so close to the city that it’s an easy Uber ride if you want a night out. Let me know if you have any other questions!

As a single mom of 2 kids, I have to be really careful about expenses here in Allen. The cost of living is generally affordable, but feels high compared to my income.

Housing is my biggest monthly outlay – I pay $1,900 for a basic 2-bed apartment. Utilities and internet run another $300-$400 per month. Food is also pricey since my kids are teenagers who eat constantly! I budget $800 per month for groceries.

Healthcare is where Allen really hurts with the lack of options for budget clinics and providers. I pay $500 per month for a high-deductible family plan. Thankfully gas and local transportation are cheap so that helps offset costs a bit.

Overall I spend around $4,000 per month to get by reasonably comfortably. With your single income, you could probably live well on $3,500 per month all-in. Just be aware that costs for families add up quickly here.

My husband and I are both professionals in our 40s living in Allen, so our cost of living experience may be a bit different. We bought our 4-bedroom house a few years ago for around $450k which seems to be an average price in our area.

With our $200k+ household income, we’re able to max out our retirement accounts while still living quite comfortably. Our monthly costs break down to:

Mortgage/taxes/insurance: $2,800
Utilities: $400
Groceries: $800
Restaurants: $500
Transportation: $600 (2 cars, gas, insurance)
Entertainment: $400
Healthcare: $1,000 (family HDHP)

So we spend around $6,500 per month for our upper-middle class suburban lifestyle. Housing and healthcare are definitely the biggest line items. But overall, we feel like Allen provides a great bang for your buck in terms of home prices, low taxes, and reasonable living costs compared to other DFW suburbs. Let me know if you have any other questions!

Allen is a nice area and the cost of living won’t break the bank, especially for a single tech bro like myself! I lived in an upscale 1-bed apartment right by the mall and paid $1,600 per month in rent. Add maybe $300 for utilities, internet, etc.

My biggest costs were going out – I probably spent $1,000 per month drinking overpriced beers at the bars/breweries and eating at all the new restaurants popping up. The gym membership was like $80 too.

But overall, you can live a pretty comfortable life in Allen for $3,000-$4,000 per month all-in if you’re smart with big costs like housing and transportation. The nightlife/dating scene could be better, but it’s a quick Uber to Dallas or Addison.

I was socking away a decent amount into my 401k while still having enough discretionary income to enjoy myself. Definitely a net positive cost of living compared to other DFW tech hubs!

We absolutely love living in Allen as an active family with 3 kids involved in sports! The cost of living here is very reasonable considering the great schools, parks, and kid-friendly amenities.

Our 4 bedroom house costs us about $2,400 per month with the mortgage and taxes. Utilities like electric, water, internet add another $400-$500. Groceries for our family of 5 run $1,200-$1,400 per month.

The biggest costs for us are transportation and extracurriculars. We have 3 car payments, insurance, gas that total around $1,200 per month. Then another $800-$1,000 goes to club sports fees, equipment, etc. Family healthcare is also pricey at $750/month.

So in total we probably spend around $6,500-$7,000 per month to live our active suburban lifestyle in Allen. It’s definitely doable on our two professional incomes, but the costs do add up quickly with a bigger family. That said, I feel we get great value considering all the city has to offer for families!

My husband and I retired to Allen a few years ago after successful careers, and have been very pleased with the cost of living so far. Our low-maintenance lifestyle helps a lot!

We bought our 2-bedroom condo outright for $275k near the Village at Allen. Our monthly expenses are:

HOA fees: $350
Utilities: $180
Groceries: $500
Healthcare: $400 (Medicare + supplements)
Transportation: $300 (1 car)
Entertainment: $200

So we’re able to live very comfortably on around $2,000 per month in total expenses. Getting rid of that huge mortgage/rent payment makes a huge difference!

Eating out, shopping, golf courses and other entertainment is very affordable. And we love being close to all the DFW amenities without having to pay city prices. Allen has been a great retirement spot for us from a cost perspective!

I’ve rented apartments all over the Dallas area for the past decade, and Allen is definitely one of the more affordable suburbs if you’re looking to save some money without sacrificing too much.

Right now, I’m paying $1,450 for a nice 1-bed apartment in a newer complex in Allen. Even adding $300-$400 for utilities, internet, etc, the housing costs are very reasonable.

My other monthly expenses look like:
Groceries: $300
Dining Out: $250
Gas: $150
Car insurance/maintenance: $200
Gym: $60
Fun money: $400

So I can live a pretty comfortable life in Allen for around $3,000 per month all-in. That gives me a decent amount of disposable income to save/invest at my $65k salary. Other than a longer commute to downtown Dallas, I really don’t feel like I’m sacrificing much compared to renting in the actual city. Allen keeps costs manageable!

As someone who is really focused on keeping costs low and saving aggressively, I’ve found Allen to be a great spot. It has just the right mix of affordable living while still having convenient access to the big city amenities.

My biggest savings come from housing – I’m renting a no-frills 1-bed apartment for $1,100 per month with all bills paid. I drive an older used car to keep insurance/gas/maintenance around $250 per month.

Groceries are the usual $300 if you stick to stores like Aldi and Walmart. And I just use cheap internet/mobile plans that cost me $60 per month combined.

Outside of that, my spending is very minimal – $100/month for eating out, $20/month gym, maybe $50 for other entertainment. I also get healthy and don’t have any major healthcare costs.

So I’m able to live a perfectly adequate lifestyle in Allen for around $1,800 per month. With a $70k income, that allows me to shovel a ton into investment accounts each month. The relatively low cost of living has been hugely helpful for my aggressive saving goals.

Cost of living isn’t too bad in Allen as a foodie who loves to travel! My biggest expenditures are definitely dining out frequently and taking lots of weekend trips.

For my 2-bed apartment, I pay $1,700 per month plus $300 for utilities/internet/etc. Groceries are around $500 since I pick up lots of fancy ingredients.

But then I easily spend $1,000+ per month eating out at all the incredible local, ethnic, and upscale restaurants in Allen and Dallas. It’s just such an amazing food scene!

I also budget around $600 per month for domestic travel and vacation expenses. Using Dallas as a hub makes getting cheap flights pretty easy.

Add another $400 for car costs, $100 for the gym, and $300 for misc entertainment, and my total living costs are probably in the $5,000 range. Not cheap by any means, but the amazing dining/cultural access is worth it for me at this stage in life! Allen is a great home base for balancing that foodie/travel lifestyle while still having reasonable costs overall.