Cost of Living in San Antonio, Texas
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in San Antonio, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 1,548,422
- Median household income
- $66,176
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 94.7
- Unemployment rate
- 5.7%
Is San Antonio a good place to live?
San Antonio sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 116 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in San Antonio keeps $8,723 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living5% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,221 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- TaxesNo state income tax on wages
Cost of living in San Antonio
Prices in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX area run 5% below the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 18% below the US average.
- Housing5% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% below the US average
- Utilities18% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)4% below the US average
- All items5% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,221 | $14,652 |
| Food | $463 | $5,556 |
| Transportation | $366 | $4,392 |
| Healthcare | $339 | $4,068 |
| Utilities | $214 | $2,568 |
| Total before taxes | $2,603 | $31,236 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | San Antonio | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,122 | $1,099 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,221 | $1,196 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,470 | $1,441 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,902 | $1,864 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,208 | $2,163 |
Living in San Antonio
How San Antonio compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | San Antonio | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $66,176 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $260,900 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,389 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 48.1% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.7% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 17.1% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 29.4% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 34.9 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 25.1 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 11.1% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 2.4% | 3.7% |
Home internet
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of San Antonio, led by Spectrum, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T. Fiber reaches 71.7% of homes and 85.5% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in San Antonio
Pros and cons of living in San Antonio
Pros
- No state income tax. Texas doesn't tax wages, so more of each paycheck stays with you.
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $260,900, against $360,600 nationally.
- Lower cost of living. Prices are 5% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 25.1 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 5.7%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Higher poverty rate. 17.1% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Lower incomes. Median household income is $66,176, against $81,604 nationally.
What your job keeps in San Antonio
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $47,010
- Federal income tax
- −$3,461
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,596
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$14,652
- Everyday costs
- −$16,578
a year, or $727 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $128,430 | $67,818 |
| Registered nurse | $94,370 | $43,990 |
| Project manager | $92,130 | $42,413 |
| Accountant | $78,650 | $32,930 |
| Teacher | $61,838 | $20,636 |
| Electrician | $57,010 | $16,758 |
| Truck driver | $53,650 | $14,058 |
| Auto mechanic | $46,880 | $8,618 |
| Medical assistant | $39,180 | $2,431 |
| Nursing assistant | $36,800 | $519 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in San Antonio on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Carpenter $10,241
- Civil engineer $39,712
- Data scientist $50,264
- Dental assistant $7,847
- Dental hygienist $46,880
- Dentist $90,858
- Diesel mechanic $18,052
- Financial analyst $35,372
- Firefighter $21,860
- HVAC technician $18,027
- Lawyer $74,147
- Licensed practical nurse $20,992
- Lineman $32,494
- Mechanical engineer $51,201
- Nurse practitioner $70,101
- Occupational therapist $53,332
- Paralegal $13,777
- Paramedic $14,901
- Pharmacist $82,903
- Pharmacy technician $8,755
- Physical therapist $52,178
- Physician assistant $75,836
- Plumber $17,697
- Police officer $29,561
- Radiologic technologist $32,523
- Respiratory therapist $32,403
- Social worker $17,520
- Speech-language pathologist $42,814
- Veterinarian $67,900
- Welder $9,695
Compare San Antonio with other cities
Compare San Antonio with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to San Antonio
32 licensed interstate movers are based in San Antonio, and 11 more elsewhere in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is San Antonio, TX a good place to live?
San Antonio sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 116 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $47,010 and keeps $8,723 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in San Antonio?
Prices in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX area are 5% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,221 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,382 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in San Antonio?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $36,200 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX area earns $47,010.
What is the average rent in San Antonio?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,122 for a studio, $1,221 for a 1-bedroom and $1,470 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in San Antonio at $1,389 a month (2024).
Does San Antonio have a state or city income tax?
Texas has no state income tax on wages. San Antonio has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve San Antonio?
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of San Antonio, led by Spectrum, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T. 71.7% of homes can get fiber and 85.5% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate