City comparison
McAllen, TX vs San Antonio, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Antonio, TX are 10.3% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $110,300 in San Antonio, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,177 a month in San Antonio, TX versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in San Antonio, TX and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- Both are in TX, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from McAllen, TX to San Antonio, TX ($106,437 → $108,001), while prices change by +10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.0% in real buying power.
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
- San Antonio, TX: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| McAllen, TX | San Antonio, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 85.9 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,270 in San Antonio | $90,687 in McAllen |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $847/mo | $1,177/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $35,830 | $47,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX |
Rent areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | McAllen | San Antonio |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 55.9 | 94.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 85.9 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
McAllen, TX → San Antonio, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
40 Weak offer
San Antonio, TX → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
McAllen, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Antonio, TX is in San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from McAllen, TX to San Antonio, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | McAllen, TX | San Antonio, TX | Real change, McAllen → San Antonio |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,629 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,776 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,823 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,001 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,624 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | McAllen, TX | San Antonio, TX | San Antonio pay in McAllen dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,110 | $61,720 | $55,972 (−11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $116,120 | $128,430 | $116,469 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $64,470 | $78,650 | $71,325 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,540 | $94,370 | $85,581 (+6.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.