Living Cost Compare
San Antonio

Texas

$1,270/mo est.

vs
Washington

District of Columbia

$2,130/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,270 in San Antonio, TX versus $2,130 in Washington, DC. Overall, San Antonio, TX is roughly 40% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Washington, DC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $62,917 in San Antonio, TX and $106,287 in Washington, DC — about 41% higher in Washington, DC. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; District of Columbia has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

San Antonio, TX
Washington, DC

Rent

Studio
$1,052
$1,763
+68% in Washington, DC
1 Bedroom
$1,084
$1,885
+74% in Washington, DC
2 Bedroom
$1,327
$1,949
+47% in Washington, DC
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$2,249
+46% in Washington, DC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$219,700
$724,600
+230% in Washington, DC

Income

Median Household Income
$62,917
$106,287
+69% in Washington, DC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,010
$71,060
+51% in Washington, DC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.6 yr
34.9 yr
+0.3 yr in Washington, DC
Homeownership
52.4%
41.1%
+11.3 pp in San Antonio, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
28.7%
63.6%
+34.9 pp in Washington, DC
Avg Commute
24.6 min
30.3 min
+5.7 min in Washington, DC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
605
936
+55% in Washington, DC
Property Crime
4,665
3,627.1
+22% 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
68.5°F
58.2°F
+10.3°F in San Antonio, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
39.7 in
+4.9 in in Washington, DC

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.96/gal
$4.30/gal
+9% in Washington, DC

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.30
$2.00
+54% in Washington, DC

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
25.0
+53% in Washington, DC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$18.01
+27% in San Antonio, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / DC)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.75%
+10.8 pp in DC

San Antonio vs Washington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in San Antonio or Washington?
San Antonio, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,270 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 40% below Washington, DC's $2,130, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in San Antonio than in Washington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in San Antonio versus $75,000 in Washington.
Which has lower taxes, San Antonio or Washington?
San Antonio is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Washington under District of Columbia's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6% 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).