Boston-Cambridge-Newton San Antonio-New Braunfels

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Less Favorable
Cost Index: 108.3 → 94.7
Rent Delta: -$1,843/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 14% lower cost of living
  • + $1843/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - $15K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Moving from Boston-Cambridge-Newton to San Antonio-New Braunfels shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 108.3 to 94.7 (100 = US average), so a Boston-Cambridge-Newton salary needs to be multiplied by 0.87 to hold the same purchasing power in San Antonio-New Braunfels. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $2,941/month in Boston-Cambridge-Newton to $1,098/month in San Antonio-New Braunfels - a lower monthly bill of $1,843, or $22,116/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $83,802 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton versus $68,933 in San Antonio-New Braunfels - a raw gap of $14,869 lower. The San Antonio-New Braunfels labor market has 1,113,320 tracked jobs against 2,639,240 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Boston-Cambridge-Newton and San Antonio-New Braunfels are 309 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 12.3:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $20,571/year in Boston-Cambridge-Newton versus $7,566/year in San Antonio-New Braunfels. Our composite verdict - Less Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
San Antonio-New Braunfels
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 108.3
RPP 94.7
San Antonio-New Braunfels
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$2,941/mo
$1,098/mo
San Antonio-New Braunfels
💼 Wages
$83,802
$68,933
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
🔒 Crime
309 per 100K
395 per 100K
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
🎓 Schools
12.3:1
14.7:1
Boston-Cambridge-Newton
👶 Childcare
$20,571/yr
$7,566/yr
San Antonio-New Braunfels
🌿 Environment
1106 violations
33822 violations
Boston-Cambridge-Newton

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton to see what you'd need to earn in San Antonio-New Braunfels to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in San Antonio-New Braunfels
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is San Antonio-New Braunfels more expensive than Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
San Antonio-New Braunfels has an RPP of 94.7 compared to Boston-Cambridge-Newton's 108.3 (100 = national average). Boston-Cambridge-Newton is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in San Antonio-New Braunfels is $1,098/mo vs $2,941/mo in Boston-Cambridge-Newton.
What are salaries like in San Antonio-New Braunfels compared to Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The median salary in San Antonio-New Braunfels is $68,933 compared to $83,802 in Boston-Cambridge-Newton. That's a -$14,869 difference.
Is San Antonio-New Braunfels safer than Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The violent crime rate near San Antonio-New Braunfels is 395 per 100K vs 309 per 100K near Boston-Cambridge-Newton (state-level data). Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in San Antonio-New Braunfels to match my Boston-Cambridge-Newton salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Boston-Cambridge-Newton salary by 0.87. For example, a $75,000 salary in Boston-Cambridge-Newton would need to be $65,613 in San Antonio-New Braunfels. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Less Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Less Favorable" means the origin edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

Explore PlainRelocate

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)