Cost of living in San Antonio: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in San Antonio comes in 5.3% below the US average. For the San Antonio, TX metro area, the 2024 BEA regional price parity (RPP) is 94.7, with the US at 100, and housing alone at 94.6.
- Level of prices
- 94.7US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 94.6 for rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for San Antonio
A regional price parity compares one place's prices for an identical set of goods and services against the US average, which is set at 100. BEA prices the whole San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro area together, and San Antonio sits in it. Utilities sit furthest from the US average, at 82.2, or 17.8% under the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | San Antonio, TX metro | Texas | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 94.7 | 97.1 | −5.3% |
| Goods | 93.8 | 98.1 | −6.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 94.6 | 96.5 | −5.4% |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 87.5 | −17.8% |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.1 | −3.8% |
Regional price parities for metro areas and states, from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024. BEA regional price parities
In San Antonio, rent levels
San Antonio's typical asking rent is $1,381 a month, according to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI). That index measures rent on homes listed now, and the figure is −0.8% on a year. In the US, the figure is $1,932. Census figures put median gross rent at $1,389, counting every renting household rather than only new leases. Paying one year of asking rent takes 25% of the median household income.
| Rent | San Antonio | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,381 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | −0.8% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,389 | $1,487 |
| Asking rent for a year as a share of median income | 25% | 28% |
Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index and Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, using one-year estimates.
Home prices for San Antonio
In September 2026, a typical San Antonio home was valued at $244,623 by the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), which measures what a mid-market home is worth. That figure is −2.2% on a year, while the US sits at $366,157. That price is 3.7 years of median household income, while the US figure is 4.5.
| Home prices | San Antonio | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $244,623 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −2.2% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +52.6% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 3.7 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 14.8 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast and the price chart since 2000: San Antonio housing market.
In San Antonio, the salary you need
Two things set the San Antonio salary that matches what your pay buys today: the area you live in, and the amount you earn.
- Moving from
- Salary
Method and every city side by side: city cost of living comparison.
Moving to San Antonio? Compare moving quotes on Moving.com, a mover-quote service; we are not paid for this link.
In San Antonio, cost of living compared with cities elsewhere
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Antonio | 94.7 | 94.6 | $1,381 | $244,623 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Dallas | 103.1 | 117.9 | $1,604 | $303,442 |
| Austin | 98.1 | 120.4 | $1,571 | $491,960 |
| El Paso | 89.9 | 71.2 | $1,508 | $237,556 |
| Corpus Christi | 92.7 | 84.9 | $1,422 | $222,115 |
| Lubbock | 91.3 | 76.4 | $1,315 | $210,957 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities 2024 (US = 100). Zillow ZORI gives the rent figure. Zillow ZHVI, September 2026, gives the home value.
Every city ranked: city cost of living comparison. Every state: state cost of living.