Cleveland, OH vs San Antonio, TX Cost of Living (2026)

Cleveland has a cost of living index of 92.8, about 7.2% below the national average. Housing runs below the national baseline, with a housing index of 79.7. Typical apartment rent is about $1,476 a month, and median home values are around $399,663. The median household income is approximately $50,000. For workers who earn average or above-average salaries, Cleveland offers exceptional purchasing power relative to nearly any other major US metro.

A $100,000 salary in an average-cost city stretches to about $107,800 in Cleveland. That extra room can make it easier to save, pay down debt, or stretch for a better housing setup. Most everyday categories stay manageable here, although healthcare still runs a bit high.

Ohio has a progressive income tax, and Cleveland and the surrounding municipalities add local income taxes on top. Cleveland itself has a 2.5% city income tax, and the suburb where someone lives may also charge a local income tax, though residents typically receive partial credit to avoid full double taxation. Ohio's state income tax reaches 3.75% at the top bracket. The combined local and state burden is moderate but not negligible.

Like Detroit, Cleveland's affordability reflects a city that has lost significant population over the past 60 years, from a peak of nearly 900,000 in 1950 to roughly 370,000 today. The metro area is larger and more stable than the city itself. Suburbs like Lakewood, Shaker Heights, Cleveland Heights, and Westlake have strong housing markets with good school systems and reasonably maintained infrastructure, and they carry higher prices than the city core. Workers who want affordability without sacrificing basic services typically find a better balance in the inner suburbs than in the city proper.

San Antonio has a cost of living index of 91.3, about 8.7% below the national average. Housing runs below the national baseline, with a housing index of 75.2. Typical apartment rent is about $1,504 a month, and median home values are around $358,086. The median household income is approximately $62,000. That makes it one of the most affordable large cities in the United States.

A $100,000 salary in an average-cost city stretches to about $109,500 in San Antonio. That extra room can make it easier to save, pay down debt, or stretch for a better housing setup. Most everyday categories stay manageable here, although healthcare still runs a bit high.

Texas has no state income tax, which further increases take-home pay for San Antonio residents. At a $65,000 salary, the difference between Texas and a state with a 6% income tax rate amounts to roughly $3,900 per year in additional take-home pay. Texas property taxes remain a consideration: effective rates in Bexar County typically run 1.8 to 2.3% of appraised value, adding meaningful annual costs for homeowners.

San Antonio's economy is less concentrated in high-wage tech and finance than Austin or Dallas, which partly explains the lower median income. The city's large employers include the military, healthcare, tourism, and government. Wages in those sectors tend to be stable but not high relative to national peers. Workers in tech, engineering, or finance who can work remotely or find employment with national companies will see the biggest gap between their income and what local peers earn, and that gap works significantly in their favor given the city's cost structure.