Is Birmingham cheaper than San Antonio?

Birmingham is cheaper: its overall cost of living runs about 3% below San Antonio's (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Which has higher household income, Birmingham or San Antonio?

San Antonio has the higher median household income — $78,112 versus $74,954 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS), about 4% more.

Does a paycheck go further in Birmingham or San Antonio?

It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($81,788 versus $82,470).

Which has cheaper rent, Birmingham or San Antonio?

Birmingham has cheaper rent — a median of $1,262/mo versus $1,422/mo (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).

Birmingham vs San Antonio

Metro-area medians — Birmingham, AL Metro Area vs San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metro Area — not the cities proper.

Birmingham comes out ahead, winning 6 of the 8 clearly-decided measures.

Birmingham is about 3% cheaper to live in, while San Antonio households earn about 4% more. Adjusted for local prices, a typical paycheck stretches about as far in either.

Their widest everyday difference: Birmingham has the tighter job market — 3.8% unemployment versus 5.1%.

For your salary & household

Enter your pay and household size to see what it's really worth here — the numbers update live and the link stays shareable.

Annual salary (gross)

Household size

Birmingham, AL

$57,754

take-home / yr · 23% to tax

$63,019

real value after local prices

San Antonio, TX

$61,314

take-home / yr · 18% to tax

$64,734

real value after local prices

On $75,000 for just you, San Antonio leaves you about $1,715/yr better off after tax and local prices.

Take-home estimates a single filer taking the standard deduction (2025 federal brackets, FICA, and state income tax) and isn't tax advice. “Real value” rebases take-home to average U.S. prices using the BEA cost-of-living index; the per-person figure uses the OECD square-root equivalence scale.

Measure

Birmingham

San Antonio

Livability (CityLedger)

52/100

46/100

Cost of living (price level, US = 100)

91.6

94.7

Cost-adjusted income (pay's real value)

$81,788

$82,470

Median household income

$74,954

$78,112

Median rent

$1,262/mo

$1,422/mo

Median home value

$263,900

$304,800

Unemployment

3.8%

5.1%

Bachelor's degree or higher

35.9%

32.8%

Average commute

27.3 min

27.6 min

Air quality (median AQI)

Avg temperature

64°F

70°F

Choose Birmingham for

+ Livability (CityLedger)
+ Cost of living (price level, US = 100)
+ Median rent
+ Median home value
+ Unemployment
+ Bachelor's degree or higher

Full Birmingham profile →

Choose San Antonio for

+ Median household income
+ Air quality (median AQI)

Full San Antonio profile →

More comparisons

Metros closest to Birmingham and San Antonio on cost, income, size, and education.

Birmingham vs Columbia→Birmingham vs Louisville→Birmingham vs Knoxville→San Antonio vs Indianapolis→San Antonio vs Cincinnati→San Antonio vs Virginia Beach→

Birmingham vs San Antonio — frequently asked

Is Birmingham cheaper than San Antonio?: Birmingham is cheaper: its overall cost of living runs about 3% below San Antonio's (BEA Regional Price Parities).
Which has higher household income, Birmingham or San Antonio?: San Antonio has the higher median household income — $78,112 versus $74,954 (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS), about 4% more.
Does a paycheck go further in Birmingham or San Antonio?: It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($81,788 versus $82,470).
Which has cheaper rent, Birmingham or San Antonio?: Birmingham has cheaper rent — a median of $1,262/mo versus $1,422/mo (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).