Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New York, NY
VS
San Antonio, TX
🏆 San Antonio leads 13 of 23 categories
New York
New York
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,607 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
177⚠ High
Population
8,622,467 ✓ Larger
San Antonio
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$59,593
Violent Crime Index
156⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
1,445,662
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New York, NY
Pros
Households earn $17,014 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $732,100
Higher rents — median is $1,714/mo
Violent crime (671.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 19% higher than San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Pros
Homes cost $534k less ($198,000 vs $732,100)
Rent averages $525/mo less ($1,189 vs $1,714)
11% less violent crime than New York
Commutes run 17 min shorter each way
19% cheaper overall cost of living than New York
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.7 pts lower (5.9%)
Cons
Violent crime (594.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails New York by $17,014/yr
Property crime (4623.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
New York
Median Income
$17,014
$76,607 vs $59,593/yr
San Antonio
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 93.7 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
San Antonio
Violent Crime
11% lower
594.1 vs 671.0 per 100k
San Antonio
Median Home Value
$534k less
$198,000 vs $732,100
San Antonio
Unemployment
1.7 pp lower
5.9% vs 7.6% unemployment
San Antonio
Summer Heat
9.2°F warmer
July avg high 94.0°F vs 84.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New York, NY | San Antonio, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 93.7 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $732,100⚠ High | $198,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,714⚠ High | $1,189 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,607 ✓ Higher | $59,593 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.6%⚠ High | 5.9%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 41.1 min⚠ High | 24.5 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 13.0% ✓ Higher | 9.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer | 182⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 177⚠ High | 156⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer | 220⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (108) ✓ Better | B (97) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.2% ✓ Higher | 27.7% |
| High School or Higher | 83.3% | 83.8% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | NEW YORK CITY GEOGRAPHIC DISTRICT # 2 | NORTHSIDE ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.7°F | 63.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F | 94.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.1" | 34.0" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 24.5" | 0.1" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 8,622,467 ✓ Larger | 1,445,662 |
| Median Age | 37.5 ✓ Older | 34.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 32.9% | 51.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.6% | 24.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.5% ✓ More | 12.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
New York's cost of living index is 112.5 vs San Antonio's 93.7 (US average = 100).
San Antonio is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, San Antonio leads 13 of 23 categories. New York wins 10 and San Antonio wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from New York to San Antonio or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($732,100 vs $198,000 median home), income ($76,607 vs $59,593), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New York, NY and San Antonio, TX are about 1,583 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.