Moving from San Antonio to Houston
Your paycheck buys slightly less in Houston than in San Antonio (-4.0%); you'd need about $83,800 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Houston: $83,800
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $83,800 in Houston, TX to match $80,000 in San Antonio, TX ($3,800 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Texas, which has no state income tax on wages; neither city levies a resident income tax.
San Antonio vs Houston: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,422 → $1,469/mo
- Median home value
- $304,800 → $327,400
- Median household income
- $78,112 → $81,417
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 94.7 → 98.6
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (95.8 → 97.6 of 100)
San Antonio vs Houston cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | San Antonio, TX | Houston, TX |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 94.7 | 98.6 |
| Median rent | $1,422 | $1,469 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $56,880 | $58,760 |
| Median home value | $304,800 | $327,400 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,160 | $2,317 |
| Income needed to buy | $92,583 | $99,308 |
| Median property tax | $4,303 | $4,750 |
| State income tax on $80,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Metro population | 2,763,006 | 7,796,182 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: San Antonio vs Houston
On an $80,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $45,181 a year in San Antonio and $45,745 in Houston if you rent: $564 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $54,040 and $55,923 ($1,883 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | San AntonioBefore | HoustonAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $80,000, single filer | $14,890 | $14,890 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,965 | $1,965 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,429 | $1,429 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,901 | $1,901 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,932 | $7,932 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $17,064 | $17,628 | +$564 |
| Total if you rent | $45,181 | $45,745 | +$564 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $19,369 | $20,805 | +$1,436 |
| Property tax median home | $4,303 | $4,750 | +$447 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $2,251 | $2,251 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $54,040 | $55,923 | +$1,883 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $11,349 a year in San Antonio and $11,349 in Houston (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from San Antonio to Houston
About 3,217 households (5,475 people) moved from the San Antonio metro area to the Houston metro area in 2022–2023, making Houston the #2 destination for people leaving San Antonio among the 149 metro areas we cover. 3,591 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $70,606.
Cost to move from San Antonio to Houston
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $320–$660 |
| Moving container | $1,100–$2,070 |
| Full-service movers | $1,840–$4,990 |
Natural hazard risk: San Antonio vs Houston
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the San Antonio area among the highest (score 95.8) and the Houston area among the highest (score 97.6), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $390 vs $456 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Houston cheaper than San Antonio?
Overall prices in the Houston area are 4.1% higher than in San Antonio (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,469 vs $1,422 a month, and the median home is $327,400 vs $304,800.
What salary do I need in Houston to match $100,000 in San Antonio?
About $104,600, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in Texas, which has no state income tax on wages.
How much does it cost to move from San Antonio to Houston?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 220 miles: roughly $320–$660 with a rental truck, $1,100–$2,070 with a container, or $1,840–$4,990 with full-service movers.
How many people move from San Antonio to Houston?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 3,217 households (5,475 people) moved from the San Antonio metro area to the Houston metro area, and 3,591 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from San Antonio move
- San Antonio to Austin 5,295 households
- San Antonio to Dallas 3,211 households
- Washington, D.C. 655 households
- McAllen 617 households
- Los Angeles 531 households
- El Paso 514 households
- Killeen 510 households
- Seattle 502 households