Living Cost Compare
San Antonio

Texas

$1,290/mo est.

vs
Wilmington

Delaware

$1,230/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,290 in San Antonio, TX versus $1,230 in Wilmington, DE. Overall, Wilmington, DE is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than San Antonio, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $62,917 in San Antonio, TX and $55,269 in Wilmington, DE — about 12% higher in San Antonio, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Delaware has a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no state sales tax.

San Antonio, TX
Wilmington, DE

Rent

Studio
$1,052
$1,103
+5% in Wilmington, DE
1 Bedroom
$1,084
$1,024
+6% in San Antonio, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,327
$1,213
+9% in San Antonio, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,394
+10% in San Antonio, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$219,700
$224,500
+2% in Wilmington, DE

Income

Median Household Income
$62,917
$55,269
+12% in San Antonio, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$47,010
$54,310
+16% in Wilmington, DE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.6 yr
37.0 yr
+2.4 yr in Wilmington, DE
Homeownership
52.4%
46.0%
+6.4 pp in San Antonio, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
28.7%
33.1%
+4.4 pp in Wilmington, DE
Avg Commute
24.6 min
23.0 min
+1.6 min in San Antonio, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
605.7
1,138.2
+88% in Wilmington, DE
Property Crime
4,665.7
3,182.4
+32% 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
54.9°F
+13.6°F in San Antonio, TX
Annual Precipitation
34.9 in
43.1 in
+8.2 in in Wilmington, DE

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.86/gal
+7% in Wilmington, DE

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.30
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
19.4
+18% in Wilmington, DE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$22.51
+26% in San Antonio, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / DE)
6.25%
None
+6.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.60%
+6.6 pp in DE

San Antonio vs Wilmington — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in San Antonio or Wilmington?
Wilmington, DE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,230 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below San Antonio, TX's $1,290, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in San Antonio than in Wilmington?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in San Antonio versus $41,000 in Wilmington.
Which has lower taxes, San Antonio or Wilmington?
San Antonio is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Wilmington under Delaware's (a top state income tax rate of 6.60% and no 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).