Cost of Living in San Antonio, TX (2026)

San Antonio's cost of living is 5% below the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $105,579 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

San Antonio has a cost-of-living index of 95 against a US average of 100 — about 5% below average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $105,579 at the national average.

What it costs to live in San Antonio

MeasureSan AntonioUS average
Cost-of-living index95100
Median rent$1,258/mo-
Median home value$219,700-
Median household income$62,917-
Population1,458,954-

Monthly cost breakdown in San Antonio

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,258$1,276
Transport$814$814
Food$641$641
Healthcare$402$402
Other$1,430$1,430
Total$4,546$4,563

Affordability in San Antonio

Median rent takes about 24.0% of the median household income in San Antonio — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 3.5x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in San Antonio

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$125,290$132,280
Software Developer$124,600$131,551
Data Scientist$106,250$112,177
Physical Therapist$101,380$107,036
Mechanical Engineer$99,130$104,660
Dental Hygienist$85,891$90,683
Registered Nurse$83,740$88,412
Web Developer$83,360$88,010

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for San Antonio’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

San Antonio has a cost-of-living index of 95 against a US average of 100, so it is about 5% below the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in San Antonio has roughly the purchasing power of $105,579 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At San Antonio's median rent of $1,258/month that implies about $50,320 a year before tax. The median household in San Antonio earns $62,917.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $4,546 a month in San Antonio across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $4,563 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in San Antonio costs $219,700, which is 3.5x the median household income of $62,917. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so San Antonio is manageable but tight.