Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or San Antonio?

Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below San Antonio, TX's $1,270, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in San Antonio?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $43,000 in San Antonio.

Which has lower taxes, Omaha or San Antonio?

Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax); San Antonio under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Omaha vs San Antonio Cost of Living 2026

Omaha

Nebraska

$1,120/mo est.

San Antonio

Texas

$1,270/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,120 in Omaha, NE versus $1,270 in San Antonio, TX. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 12% cheaper to live in day-to-day than San Antonio, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $62,917 in San Antonio, TX — about 13% higher in Omaha, NE. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Omaha, NE

San Antonio, TX

Rent

Studio

$908

$1,052

+16% in San Antonio, TX

1 Bedroom

$984

$1,084

+10% in San Antonio, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,193

$1,327

+11% in San Antonio, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,437

$1,545

+8% in San Antonio, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$230,100

$219,700

+5% in Omaha, NE

Income

Median Household Income

$72,708

$62,917

+13% in Omaha, NE

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,660

$47,010

+5% in Omaha, NE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

35.3 yr

34.6 yr

+0.7 yr in Omaha, NE

Homeownership

57.7%

52.4%

+5.3 pp in Omaha, NE

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.3%

28.7%

+11.6 pp in Omaha, NE

Avg Commute

19.6 min

24.6 min

+5.0 min in San Antonio, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

358.6

605

+69% in San Antonio, TX

Property Crime

3,153

4,665

+48% 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

51.1°F

68.5°F

+17.4°F in San Antonio, TX

Annual Precipitation

30.6 in

34.9 in

+4.2 in in San Antonio, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.35/gal

$3.96/gal

+9% in Omaha, NE

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

$1.30

+4% in San Antonio, TX

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

13.1

16.4

+25% in San Antonio, TX

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$12.06

$24.61

+104% in San Antonio, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.14

$4.16

+1% in San Antonio, TX

Bread (lb)

$1.79

$1.73

+3% in Omaha, NE

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Omaha, NE

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.97

$6.56

+6% in Omaha, NE

Chicken (lb)

$2.15

$1.90

+12% in Omaha, NE

Bananas (lb)

$0.63

$0.61

+3% in Omaha, NE

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NE / TX)

5.5%

6.25%

+0.8 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

4.55%

None

+4.5 pp in NE

Omaha vs San Antonio — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or San Antonio?: Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 12% below San Antonio, TX's $1,270, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha than in San Antonio?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Omaha versus $43,000 in San Antonio.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or San Antonio?: Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).