San Antonio-New Braunfels cost of living
Prices in the San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro area run at 94.7 against a national average of 100, ranking it #175 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 94.6.
What drives the number
Prices in San Antonio-New Braunfels run at 94.7 where the national average is 100, so about 5.3 per cent below the country as a whole. It ranks #175 of 387 metro areas. Against Texas as a whole it is 2.4 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
The parts move together here rather than pulling against each other: goods at 93.8, rents at 94.6, other services at 82.2. Goods are close to national almost everywhere, because most are shipped and priced nationally, so it is worth noticing when rents behave the same way. Goods at 93.8 are themselves 6.2 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
Low prices only help if pay does not fall by more. Dividing the local median wage by 94.7 is how to check, and the wage pages carry that comparison.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in San Antonio-New Braunfels is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Service Representatives | 34,240 | $41,690 | $44,023 | $42,830 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 33,620 | $27,570 | $29,113 | $30,480 |
| General and Operations Managers | 31,390 | $96,250 | $101,637 | $102,950 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 31,200 | $25,000 | $26,399 | $34,900 |
| Retail Salespersons | 25,950 | $30,160 | $31,848 | $34,580 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 25,050 | $36,710 | $38,765 | $37,090 |
| Registered Nurses | 23,390 | $87,100 | $91,975 | $93,600 |
| Cashiers | 22,530 | $28,760 | $30,370 | $31,190 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 94.7.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | 103.1 | 117.9 | #48 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | 98.6 | 104.5 | #101 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | 98.1 | 120.4 | #112 |
| Midland | 95.8 | 101.5 | #150 |
| Odessa | 93.9 | 89.7 | #184 |
| Sherman-Denison | 93.8 | 89.5 | #187 |
San Antonio-New Braunfels: common questions
Is San Antonio-New Braunfels expensive?
Prices are 5.3% below the national average, a parity of 94.7 where the country is 100. It ranks #175 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Texas as a whole it is 2.4 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in San Antonio-New Braunfels?
The median worker there earns $46,010, which buys what $48,585 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 94.6 against goods at 93.8. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.