City comparison
San Antonio, TX vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Antonio, TX are 2.3% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $102,300 in San Antonio, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,177 a month in San Antonio, TX versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in San Antonio, TX and 15% in Waco, 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 −1.4% moving from San Antonio, TX to Waco, TX ($108,001 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- San Antonio, TX: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Antonio, TX | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,713 in Waco | $102,340 in San Antonio |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,177/mo | $996/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 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,010 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Antonio | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Antonio, TX → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
76 Strong offer
Waco, TX → San Antonio, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Antonio, TX is in the San Antonio-New Braunfels-Pearsall, TX pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from San Antonio, TX to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Antonio, TX | Waco, TX | Real change, San Antonio → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,629 | $61,722 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,776 | $74,678 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,823 | $89,508 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,001 | $106,437 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,624 | $125,776 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Antonio, TX | Waco, TX | Waco pay in San Antonio dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,720 | $59,100 | $60,483 (−2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $128,430 | $123,080 | $125,961 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,650 | $76,140 | $77,922 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,370 | $92,890 | $95,064 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.