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Portland vs San Antonio

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Portland, OR vs San Antonio, TX at a glance — San Antonio, TX is 12% cheaper than Portland, OR overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,250/mo versus $1,600/mo. The top national income-tax rate is 37%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in San Antonio, TX, you'd need

$65,889 / year

San Antonio, TX is 12% cheaper overall

Category breakdown (San Antonio, TX vs Portland, OR)

  • Housing-28%
  • Food & groceries-5%
  • Transport-1%
  • Utilities+18%
  • Healthcare-7%
  • Goods & services-7%

◎ How Portland, OR and San Antonio, TX compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Portland, ORSan Antonio, TX

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Portland, ORSan Antonio, TX
Cost of living
Overall cost index10794
Housing12791
Food9792
Transport9998
Utilities8499
Healthcare10194
Goods & services10194
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,600/mo$1,250/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,300/mo$1,000/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$3,000/mo$2,200/mo
Buy price / m² centre$5,200$3,000
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$937$1,067
Inexpensive meal$18$15
Monthly transit pass$100$38
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%37%
VAT / sales tax0%0%
Social security (employee)7.7%7.7%
Corporate tax21%21%
Capital gains20%20%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$4,300/mo
Minimum wage$1,257/mo✓$1,257/mo✓
GDP per capita$90,027✓$90,027✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeNative
Coworking spaces4525
Time zoneUTC-8UTC-6
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6758
Safety index5555
Healthcare index7874
Pollution index3545
Internet speed200 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability6737
Public transport6238
Family-friendly6464
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$450/mo$450/mo
Life expectancy79 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+5 °C+11 °C
July avg+20 °C+30 °C
Sunny days / year144220
Rainfall / year940 mm810 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1.5 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Portland vs San Antonio — in your currency

PortlandSan Antonio
1-bed rent, city centre$1,600$1,250
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,300$1,000
Inexpensive meal$18$15
Monthly transit pass$100$38
Utilities (monthly)$150$170

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Portland

Green, quirky and bike-friendly with no sales tax — grey, rainy winters are the trade-off.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-8
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 5°C · ☀ 20°C · 144 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Pearl District · Alberta · Hawthorne

Good to know before you move to San Antonio

Big, affordable and rich in Tex-Mex culture with no state income tax — hot and car-oriented.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-6
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 11°C · ☀ 30°C · 220 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Pearl · Southtown · Alamo Heights

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Portland to San Antonio: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Portland to San Antonio, your cost of living will be roughly 12% cheaper. San Antonio’s cost-of-living index is 94 versus 107 for Portland (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Portland cheaper than San Antonio?

San Antonio is about 12% cheaper than Portland overall — its cost-of-living index is 94 versus 107 for Portland.

Which is more expensive, Portland or San Antonio?

Portland is more expensive than San Antonio. Its cost-of-living index is 107 vs 94 (US = 100) — about 14% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Portland or San Antonio?

Rent is cheaper in San Antonio — about $1,250/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,600 in Portland.

How much do you need to earn in San Antonio to live like in Portland?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Portland is worth about $65,889 in San Antonio. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Portland or San Antonio?

Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (37%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.

◷ More comparisons from Portland

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.