Route comparison
Houston, TX vs San Antonio, TX: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Houston, TX and San Antonio, TX. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Houston, TX
TX
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 98.8
- Housing RPP
- 108
- Goods RPP
- 97.9
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,357/mo
Texas has no state income tax. Property taxes ~2% effective rate.
San Antonio, TX
TX
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 95.1
- Housing RPP
- 94.6
- Goods RPP
- 93.6
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,458/mo
Texas has no state income tax.
Equivalent salary
San Antonio, TX is cheaper than Houston, TX by about 3.7% (RPP 98.8 to 95.1).
$60,000 in Houston, TX
-> $57,753
in San Antonio, TX
$100,000 in Houston, TX
-> $96,255
in San Antonio, TX
$150,000 in Houston, TX
-> $144,383
in San Antonio, TX
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: Houston, TX vs San Antonio, TX
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Houston, TX
- Net people
- +37,392
- Net rank
- #3 of 65
- Top origin share
- 2%
- Top destination share
- 2%
Largest source: Travis County, TX. Largest destination: Travis County, TX.
San Antonio, TX
- Net people
- +28,314
- Net rank
- #4 of 65
- Top origin share
- 3%
- Top destination share
- 3%
Largest source: Travis County, TX. Largest destination: Harris County, TX.
Rent delta: San Antonio, TX is $101/mo higher for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Houston, TX. Housing RPP moves from 108 to 94.6.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is San Antonio, TX cheaper or more expensive than Houston, TX?
- San Antonio, TX (RPP 95.1) is cheaper than Houston, TX (RPP 98.8) by about 3.7%.
- What salary do I need in San Antonio, TX if I earn $100,000 in Houston, TX?
- You would need approximately $96,255 in San Antonio, TX to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Houston, TX. Formula: $100,000 x (95.1 / 98.8).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Houston, TX or San Antonio, TX?
- For 2021-2022, Houston, TX had a net gain of 37,392 people, while San Antonio, TX had a net gain of 28,314 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.