Is San Antonio cheaper than Memphis?

No. Memphis is cheaper: typical rent is $1,181 a month versus $1,324 in San Antonio — 11% lower. Median household income is $65,056 in San Antonio compared with $51,736 in Memphis, so San Antonio has the stronger local pay picture.

Which city is safer, San Antonio or Memphis?

San Antonio is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 140 in Memphis — 77% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.

Which city has better schools, San Antonio or Memphis?

School composites are close: A- in San Antonio and A- in Memphis. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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City comparison

San Antonio, TX vs Memphis, TN

San Antonio, TX versus Memphis, TN is a real move, not a trivia matchup. This comparison uses the same 2026 neighborhood report data we publish on each city page — typical rent, median household income, crime indexes, school composites, and typical weather — so you can see which city actually fits how you live, work, and spend. Typical rents sit near $1,324 a month in San Antonio and $1,181 in Memphis, and median household income lands at $65,056 versus $51,736. Open either city's full report when you want the block-level detail behind these headlines.

San Antonio takes job market and safety, while Memphis takes affordability and weather. The widest gap is crime index, where San Antonio leads by 77% — the kind of spread you feel in a monthly budget or a nightly walk, not just on a chart. Read the category rows as a filter: if cheaper housing would change your life more than a stronger job market, weight rent first. If you are moving with kids, weight schools and crime. If you picked a city after one good weekend, use the weather and income rows to test whether that weekend survives a full year.

Numbers below are citywide, not a guarantee about the street you will actually live on. Two ZIP codes in San Antonio can feel further apart than San Antonio and Memphis do on paper. Use this page to pick a city, then use the San Antonio and Memphis reports to pick a neighborhood — and visit in the season you like least before you sign anything.

Full San Antonio report Full Memphis report

San Antonio, TX

Rent: $1,324/mo
Median income: $65,056
Crime index: 32
Schools: A-
Weather: 87°F

Memphis, TN

Rent: $1,181/mo
Median income: $51,736
Crime index: 140
Schools: A-
Weather: 80°F

Rent

11% cheaper

Memphis rent is 11% cheaper than San Antonio

San Antonio

$1,324/mo

Memphis

Winner

$1,181/mo

What this means for your life

Typical rent runs $1,181 a month in Memphis versus $1,324 in San Antonio, so Memphis is 11% cheaper. A meaningful but not dramatic gap. Factor it into your budget alongside salary differences between the two markets. Over a year the spread is about $1,716 — enough to notice in savings, not enough to ignore schools, safety, or pay. Memphis still wins on housing cost; just do not let a 10–20% rent edge override a job that only exists in San Antonio.

Median income

26% higher

San Antonio's median income is 26% higher than Memphis

San Antonio

Winner

$65,056

Memphis

$51,736

What this means for your life

Median household income is $65,056 in San Antonio versus $51,736 in Memphis, so typical pay runs 26% higher in San Antonio — about $13,320 more household income a year. Higher median income usually signals a stronger local job market and better negotiating leverage on salary. Remote workers should weigh this against cost of living rather than treating it as a direct personal benefit. For people who will actually work in town, San Antonio is the stronger labor market on paper. Memphis can still win if housing is cheap enough to offset the weaker median or if your specific role already pays well there.

Crime index

77% lower crime

San Antonio's crime index is 77% lower than Memphis

San Antonio

Winner

32 (100 = avg)

Memphis

140 (100 = avg)

What this means for your life

San Antonio's crime index is 32 versus 140 in Memphis (100 = national average), so citywide crime runs 77% lower in San Antonio. That gap is meaningful day-to-day — it affects whether you feel comfortable walking at night, leaving your car on the street, or letting kids play outside unsupervised. Indexes still compress a lot of reality: a calmer city has blocks you would skip, and a higher-crime city has streets that feel neighborly at 10 p.m. On the everyday test of walking from the car to the door, San Antonio is the easier city. Memphis can still work if you pick the right pocket — just budget more diligence before you sign a lease.

School scores

Neck and neck

San Antonio and Memphis are about even on school scores.

San Antonio

A- · 84/100

Memphis

A- · 84/100

What this means for your life

School composites are effectively even (A- in San Antonio, A- in Memphis). For families with kids this is a warning if you assumed one city was obviously better — at this range the campus, not the city name, decides it. Tour the zoned elementary you would actually use.

Typical weather

29% more comfortable

Memphis weather is 29% more comfortable than San Antonio

San Antonio

87°F typical

Memphis

Winner

80°F typical

What this means for your life

Memphis scores 29% more comfortable on this page's weather index, which rewards temperatures closer to a livable outdoor day. Typical temperatures sit around 87°F in San Antonio and 80°F in Memphis. San Antonio reads as hot, long summers; Memphis reads as warm weather most of the year. Climate affects quality of life more than most people anticipate when planning a move. Consider how much time you spend outdoors and whether extreme heat or cold impacts your mood or productivity. Memphis is the better default if you want year-round outdoor access. San Antonio can still be right if you love that climate on purpose — beach heat, dry heat, or a real winter — but you cannot return a city's weather.

Fit check

Who should choose San Antonio

Career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth

San Antonio is the better city for career-focused movers who want salary upside and professional growth. Median household income is 26% higher here ($65,056). Start with San Antonio if your next chapter is about building earnings, and make weather or nightlife a secondary screen.

San Antonio is the better fit for families with young children and retirees who prioritize peace of mind over urban energy. The crime index is 77% lower than Memphis (32 vs a 100 national average). That gap shows up in how freely you walk at night and how much attention you spend on the car and the deadbolt.

Open the San Antonio report →

Fit check

Who should choose Memphis

Outdoor enthusiasts and people who need year-round access to nature for their wellbeing

Memphis is the clearer landing pad if housing cost is what keeps you up at night. Typical rent is 11% cheaper here at about $1,181 a month. Choose Memphis if you are stretching a salary, starting over, or want slack for travel and debt instead of a flashier skyline.

Pick Memphis if you are an outdoor enthusiast or you need year-round access to nature for your wellbeing. Typical conditions (80°F) beat San Antonio on this page's weather index by 29%. San Antonio may pay more or cost less, but Memphis is the city where the forecast fights you less.

Open the Memphis report →

Bottom line

San Antonio vs Memphis, called

If safety is your priority, San Antonio is the clear choice.

If weather matters more to you, Memphis pulls ahead.

For most movers comparing these two cities, Memphis offers the better overall package.

Common questions

San Antonio vs Memphis FAQ

Is San Antonio cheaper than Memphis?: No. Memphis is cheaper: typical rent is $1,181 a month versus $1,324 in San Antonio — 11% lower. Median household income is $65,056 in San Antonio compared with $51,736 in Memphis, so San Antonio has the stronger local pay picture.
Which city is safer, San Antonio or Memphis?: San Antonio is safer on this comparison. Its crime index is 32 versus 140 in Memphis — 77% lower (100 is the national average). Citywide indexes still hide neighborhood variation, so walk the block you would actually rent.
Which city has better schools, San Antonio or Memphis?: School composites are close: A- in San Antonio and A- in Memphis. Tour specific campuses rather than picking a city on the letter grade alone.

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