Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington San Antonio-New Braunfels

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Favorable
Cost Index: 103.1 → 94.7
Rent Delta: -$833/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + 8% lower cost of living
  • + $833/mo cheaper rent (2BR)

Cons of Moving

  • - $5K lower median salary

Moving from Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to San Antonio-New Braunfels shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 103.1 to 94.7 (100 = US average), so a Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary needs to be multiplied by 0.92 to hold the same purchasing power in San Antonio-New Braunfels. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,931/month in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington to $1,098/month in San Antonio-New Braunfels - a lower monthly bill of $833, or $9,996/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 $73,476 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington versus $68,933 in San Antonio-New Braunfels - a raw gap of $4,543 lower. The San Antonio-New Braunfels labor market has 1,113,320 tracked jobs against 4,019,090 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington and San Antonio-New Braunfels are 395 and 395 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14.7:1 at origin versus 14.7:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $7,566/year in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington versus $7,566/year in San Antonio-New Braunfels. Our composite verdict - Favorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
San Antonio-New Braunfels
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 103.1
RPP 94.7
San Antonio-New Braunfels
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,931/mo
$1,098/mo
San Antonio-New Braunfels
💼 Wages
$73,476
$68,933
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington
🔒 Crime
395 per 100K
395 per 100K
Tie
🎓 Schools
14.7:1
14.7:1
Tie
👶 Childcare
$7,566/yr
$7,566/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
33822 violations
33822 violations
Tie

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington 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 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
San Antonio-New Braunfels has an RPP of 94.7 compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington's 103.1 (100 = national average). Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in San Antonio-New Braunfels is $1,098/mo vs $1,931/mo in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington.
What are salaries like in San Antonio-New Braunfels compared to Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The median salary in San Antonio-New Braunfels is $68,933 compared to $73,476 in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington. That's a -$4,543 difference.
Is San Antonio-New Braunfels safer than Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington?
The violent crime rate near San Antonio-New Braunfels is 395 per 100K vs 395 per 100K near Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (state-level data). Both areas have similar crime rates.
How much would I need to earn in San Antonio-New Braunfels to match my Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington salary by 0.92. For example, a $75,000 salary in Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington would need to be $68,908 in San Antonio-New Braunfels. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Favorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Favorable" means the destination edges ahead on balance. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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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)