Question 1

Is Arlington or San Antonio cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

San Antonio, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $414/month less than in Arlington, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,723/mo in Arlington versus $1,426/mo in San Antonio.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Arlington vs San Antonio?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $72,000/year before tax in Arlington, TX and $64,000/year in San Antonio, TX — a difference of about $8,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Arlington or San Antonio cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

San Antonio, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,857/month in Arlington and $6,946/month in San Antonio, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Arlington or San Antonio?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. San Antonio costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Arlington73	San Antonio68
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,111	$3,697
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,857	$6,946
Salary for comfort	$72,000/yr	$64,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,723	$1,426
Median home value	$276,400	$219,700
Median household income	$73,519	$62,917
Unemployment	4.1%	4.0%
Housing score	60	69
Jobs score	58	59
Safety score	65	35
Climate score	96	96
Amenities score	73	54
Population	394.8K	1.5M
Summer high / winter low	94° / 35°	94° / 40°

Arlington, TX vs San Antonio, TX