Question 1

Is Atlanta or San Antonio cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

San Antonio, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $559/month less than in Atlanta, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,820/mo in Atlanta versus $1,426/mo in San Antonio.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Atlanta vs San Antonio?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $83,000/year before tax in Atlanta, GA and $66,000/year in San Antonio, TX — a difference of about $17,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Atlanta or San Antonio cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

San Antonio, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $9,218/month in Atlanta and $8,835/month in San Antonio, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Atlanta 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	Atlanta66	San Antonio65
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,387	$3,828
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$9,218	$8,835
Salary for comfort	$83,000/yr	$66,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,820	$1,426
Median home value	$420,600	$219,700
Median household income	$81,938	$62,917
Unemployment	3.7%	4.7%
Housing score	47	67
Jobs score	86	43
Safety score	26	35
Climate score	100	94
Amenities score	68	54
Population	499.3K	1.5M
Summer high / winter low	90° / 33°	95° / 41°

Atlanta, GA vs San Antonio, TX