City comparison
San Antonio, TX vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 15.0% higher than in San Antonio, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in San Antonio, TX would need about $115,000 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,177 in San Antonio, TX. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 18% in San Antonio, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,532 a year higher in Washington, DC than in San Antonio, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from San Antonio, TX to Washington, DC ($108,001 → $121,785), while prices change by +15.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- San Antonio, TX: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Antonio, TX | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,958 in Washington | $86,988 in San Antonio |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,177/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,010 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Antonio | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.6 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Antonio, TX → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.0%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$5,532/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → San Antonio, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,532/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Antonio, TX is in the San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Antonio, TX to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Antonio, TX | Washington, DC | Real change, San Antonio → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,629 | $70,623 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,776 | $85,447 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,823 | $102,415 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,001 | $121,785 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,624 | $143,913 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Antonio, TX | Washington, DC | Washington pay in San Antonio dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,720 | $79,470 | $69,129 (+12.0%) |
| Software Developers | $128,430 | $154,930 | $134,770 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,650 | $102,140 | $88,850 (+13.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,370 | $102,710 | $89,345 (−5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.