Question 1

Is San Antonio or Seattle cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

San Antonio, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,046/month less than in Seattle, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,426/mo in San Antonio versus $2,501/mo in Seattle.

Question 2

What salary do you need in San Antonio vs Seattle?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $64,000/year before tax in San Antonio, TX and $85,000/year in Seattle, WA — a difference of about $21,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is San Antonio or Seattle cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

San Antonio, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,946/month in San Antonio and $8,905/month in Seattle, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to San Antonio or Seattle?

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	San Antonio68	Seattle60
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,697	$4,743
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,946	$8,905
Salary for comfort	$64,000/yr	$85,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,426	$2,501
Median home value	$219,700	$912,100
Median household income	$62,917	$121,984
Unemployment	4.0%	4.5%
Housing score	69	35
Jobs score	59	36
Safety score	35	40
Climate score	96	92
Amenities score	54	90
Population	1.5M	741.4K
Summer high / winter low	94° / 40°	76° / 37°

San Antonio, TX vs Seattle, WA