Cary vs San Antonio
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Cary
San Antonio
💡 The Verdict
San Antonio is 12% cheaper than Cary overall. A $75,000 salary in Cary is equivalent to $66,176 in San Antonio.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Cary (left) vs San Antonio (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Cary versus San Antonio. Differences shown from Cary perspective.
| Item | Cary | San Antonio | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $1,020/mo | $910/mo | +$110.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,340/mo | $1,200/mo | +$140.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,790/mo | $1,620/mo | +$170.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.65 | $2.68 | $-0.03 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.62 | $3.66 | $-0.04 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $2.77 | $3.29 | $-0.52 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.88 | $5.41 | +$0.47 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.45 | $3.09 | +$0.36 |
| Restaurant Meal | $16.45 | $14.78 | +$1.67 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Cary has the same purchasing power as $66,176 in San Antonio.
Conversely, $75,000 in San Antonio equals $85,000 in Cary.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $3451 difference is driven by North Carolina having a higher state income tax rate. North Carolina details → · Texas details →
Reading These Numbers: Cary (102) vs San Antonio (90)
Cary at 102 is 2% above the US average, while San Antonio at 90 is 10% below average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.
In Cary, the composite index of 102 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 104, followed by groceries (96), utilities (92), transportation (106), and healthcare (94). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,340/mo in Cary and $1,200/mo in San Antonio, the annual rent difference is approximately $1,680.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $8,400.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $68,000.0 difference in median home prices between Cary and San Antonio translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Cary vs San Antonio
Choosing between Cary and San Antonio involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Cary and San Antonio reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.