Houston vs San Antonio
Houston, TX · San Antonio, TX
San Antonio is 9% cheaper than Houston overall.
Home Price
Houston: $320,000
San: $270,000
Monthly Rent
Houston: $1,262/mo
San: $899/mo
COL Index
Houston: 101
San: 92
Median Income
Houston: $67,800
San: $58,600
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Houston has the same purchasing power as $91,089 in San Antonio — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in San Antonio cost 16% more (-$50,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in San Antonio saves you $363/month — $4,356 per year. Median rent: $1,262/mo in Houston vs $899/mo in San Antonio.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Houston owners pay roughly $6,080/year in property taxes vs $4,860/year in San Antonio. That's a $1,220 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $67,800 in Houston and $58,600 in San Antonio. San Antonio residents earn 14% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 29 minutes in Houston vs 26 minutes in San Antonio. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Houston to San Antonio, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Houston | Equivalent in San Antonio | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $45,545 | -$4,455 |
| $75,000 | $68,317 | -$6,683 |
| $100,000 | $91,089 | -$8,911 |
| $150,000 | $136,634 | -$13,366 |
| $200,000 | $182,178 | -$17,822 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Houston Calculators
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Houston vs San Antonio: Common Questions
Is Houston or San Antonio cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, San Antonio is cheaper overall. Houston has a COL index of 101 while San Antonio scores 92 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Houston and San Antonio?
The median home price in Houston is $320,000 vs $270,000 in San Antonio — a difference of $50,000 (16%).
What salary do I need in San Antonio to match my Houston income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Houston is equivalent to $91,089 in San Antonio in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
San Antonio has a lower property tax rate (1.8% vs 1.9%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $4,860/year vs $6,080/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.