Living Cost Compare
Cleveland

Ohio

$940/mo est.

vs
San Antonio

Texas

$1,290/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $940 in Cleveland, OH versus $1,290 in San Antonio, TX. Overall, Cleveland, OH is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than San Antonio, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $39,187 in Cleveland, OH and $62,917 in San Antonio, TX — about 38% higher in San Antonio, TX. Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$678
$1,052
+55% in San Antonio, TX
1 Bedroom
$732
$1,084
+48% in San Antonio, TX
2 Bedroom
$903
$1,327
+47% in San Antonio, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,081
$1,545
+43% in San Antonio, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$94,100
$219,700
+133% in San Antonio, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$39,187
$62,917
+61% in San Antonio, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,140
$47,010
+6% in Cleveland, OH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.3 yr
34.6 yr
+1.7 yr in Cleveland, OH
Homeownership
41.2%
52.4%
+11.2 pp in San Antonio, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
21.3%
28.7%
+7.4 pp in San Antonio, TX
Avg Commute
22.9 min
24.6 min
+1.7 min in San Antonio, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,582
605.7
+62% in Cleveland, OH
Property Crime
4,531.3
4,665.7
+3% in San Antonio, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
52.7°F
68.5°F
+15.8°F in San Antonio, TX
Annual Precipitation
36.4 in
34.9 in
+1.5 in in Cleveland, OH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.18/gal
$3.62/gal
+13% in Cleveland, OH

Area: Ohio vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.30

Adult base one-way fare — vs VIA Metropolitan Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
19.5
16.4
+16% in Cleveland, OH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.83
$30.48
+34% in San Antonio, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Cleveland, OH
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in San Antonio, TX
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Cleveland, OH
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Cleveland, OH
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Cleveland, OH
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — Midwest vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OH / TX)
5.75%
6.25%
+0.5 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
2.75%
None
+2.8 pp in OH

Cleveland vs San Antonio — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cleveland or San Antonio?
Cleveland, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $940 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below San Antonio, TX's $1,290, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cleveland than in San Antonio?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Cleveland versus $43,000 in San Antonio.
Which has lower taxes, Cleveland or San Antonio?
Cleveland is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax); San Antonio under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).