Question 1

Is Memphis or San Antonio cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Memphis, TN is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $167/month less than in San Antonio, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,274/mo in Memphis versus $1,426/mo in San Antonio.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Memphis vs San Antonio?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $60,500/year before tax in Memphis, TN and $64,000/year in San Antonio, TX — a difference of about $3,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Memphis or San Antonio cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Memphis, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,533/month in Memphis 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 Memphis or San Antonio?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Memphis 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	Memphis57	San Antonio68
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,530	$3,697
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,533	$6,946
Salary for comfort	$60,500/yr	$64,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,274	$1,426
Median home value	$157,100	$219,700
Median household income	$51,211	$62,917
Unemployment	4.7%	4.0%
Housing score	68	69
Jobs score	31	59
Safety score	4	35
Climate score	100	96
Amenities score	47	54
Population	629.1K	1.5M
Summer high / winter low	90° / 30°	94° / 40°

Memphis, TN vs San Antonio, TX