San Antonio, TX Cost of Living (2026)

San Antonio has a cost of living index of 93, about 7% below the national average. That makes it one of the most affordable large cities in the United States. The housing index is 92, actually below the national baseline. A one-bedroom apartment in San Antonio rents for around $950 to $1,300 per month, and the median home price is approximately $250,000. The median household income is around $55,000, and at that income level, housing remains attainable in a way that is simply not possible in most major metros.

A $100,000 salary in San Antonio is worth approximately $108,000 relative to the national average. That is a genuine financial gain compared to earning the same salary in a cost-neutral city. Workers relocating from higher-cost metros will find that their existing salary goes further here without requiring any adjustment.

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.