{"id":561812,"date":"2026-02-02T21:43:12","date_gmt":"2026-02-02T21:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/561812\/"},"modified":"2026-02-02T21:43:12","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T21:43:12","slug":"report-ranks-san-antonio-affordable-but-90k-income-needed-for-comfortable-living","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/561812\/","title":{"rendered":"Report ranks San Antonio affordable, but $90K income needed for comfortable living"},"content":{"rendered":"

SAN ANTONIO<\/strong> \u2013 A recent national report ranks San Antonio among the most affordable large metro areas in the country. However, local economists say the income needed to live comfortably in this city is still out of reach for many residents.<\/p>\n

A 2025 report by Upgraded Points ranked San Antonio as the 10th-cheapest large metro area in the United States.<\/p>\n

While the ranking highlights the city\u2019s relatively low cost of living compared to other major metros, the report estimates a single adult would need to earn just over $90,000 a year to live comfortably in San Antonio.<\/p>\n

\u201cVery good news, being that we are on the lower end of all major metropolitan areas in terms of cost of living. So, that\u2019s the upside,\u201d said Taylor Collins, chair of the Department of Economics at the University of the Incarnate Word. \u201cDownside is being on the low end of all metros still has a very high cost associated with it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The income figure has raised concerns, especially in a city where many workers earn significantly less than $90,000 annually.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think what this survey and kind of the overall numbers really reveal is that it\u2019s harder than ever to make the minimum needs of life,\u201d Collins said. \u201cIt is getting more and more expensive just to meet your minimum expectations to live some basic expectation of what the American dream looks like.\u201d<\/p>\n

The report used the 50-30-20 budgeting rule, allocating 50% of income to necessities, 30% to \u201cwants,\u201d and 20% to savings. Researchers also used data from the Economic Policy Institute to come up with the amount of money to live comfortably.<\/p>\n

However, Collins said his issue with the calculation is that the cost of living has changed drastically over the last 25 years, and the things we need most have gotten more expensive, putting more strain on San Antonio families.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe goods that have gone up in price are goods like food cost, up by 75% since 2000,\u201d Collins said. \u201cIt\u2019s goods like housing costs, up 80%, childcare, up 120%, education, college tuition up a 175%. Hospital services up 220% over the last 25 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

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