City comparison
College Station, TX vs San Antonio, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Antonio, TX are 4.1% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $104,100 in San Antonio, TX to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,177 a month in San Antonio, TX versus $1,082 in College Station, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in San Antonio, TX and 16% in College Station, TX.
- Both are in TX, so estimated state income tax is the same: $0 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.5% moving from College Station, TX to San Antonio, TX ($106,437 → $108,001), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
- San Antonio, TX: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| College Station, TX | San Antonio, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,140 in San Antonio | $96,025 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/mo | $1,177/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $47,010 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | San Antonio |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 94.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 82.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → San Antonio, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
56 Fair offer
San Antonio, TX → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
College Station, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Antonio, TX is in San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from College Station, TX to San Antonio, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | San Antonio, TX | Real change, College Station → San Antonio |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,629 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,776 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,823 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,001 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,624 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | San Antonio, TX | San Antonio pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $61,720 | $59,267 (+2.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $128,430 | $123,325 (+21.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $78,650 | $75,524 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $94,370 | $90,619 (+9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.