City comparison
Salem, OR vs San Antonio, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 9.4% higher than in San Antonio, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in San Antonio, TX would need about $109,400 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,201 a month in Salem, OR and $1,177 in San Antonio, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $7,920 a year higher in Salem, OR than in San Antonio, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.8% moving from Salem, OR to San Antonio, TX ($114,684 → $108,001), while prices change by −8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.1% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
- 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
| Salem, OR | San Antonio, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,381 in San Antonio | $109,431 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,177/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $47,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salem, OR and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | San Antonio |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 94.6 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → San Antonio, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$7,920/yr.
98 Strong offer
San Antonio, TX → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$7,920/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; San Antonio, TX is in San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to San Antonio, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | San Antonio, TX | Real change, Salem → San Antonio |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $62,629 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $75,776 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $90,823 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $108,001 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $127,624 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | San Antonio, TX | San Antonio pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $61,720 | $67,541 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $128,430 | $140,543 (+6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $78,650 | $86,068 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $94,370 | $103,270 (−21.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.