Cost of living in San Marcos research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means San Marcos is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Texas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in San Marcos is 99, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in San Marcos is 1.0x lower than the national average.
San Marcos ranks as the #232 cheapest in Texas out of 414.
San Marcos ranks as the #2,497 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in San Marcos is $314,466.
The median income in San Marcos is $51,030.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Marcos has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Texas, San Marcos has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Texas's index of 92.
The standard of living in San Marcos ranks as #232 most affordable out of the 414 places we measured in Texas. By definition, that implies San Marcos ranks as the #182 most expensive place in the Lone Star State.
For more reading on life in San Marcos, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Marcos. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Marcos is 94.
The Groceries index in San Marcos is 99.
The Health index in San Marcos is 97.
The Housing index in San Marcos is 105.
The Transportation index in San Marcos is 88.
The Utilities index in San Marcos is 96.
| Living Expense | San Marcos | Texas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 99 | 92 | 100 | |
| Services | 94 | 97 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 99 | 97 | 100 | |
| Health | 97 | 93 | 100 | |
| Housing | 105 | 82 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 88 | 94 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 96 | 104 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Texas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in San Marcos is $314,466.
The Median Rent in San Marcos is $1,299.
The Median Income in San Marcos is $51,030.
The Home Value To Income in San Marcos is 6.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Marcos is 0.31x.
| Statistic | San Marcos | Texas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $314,466 | $298,905 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,299 | $1,339 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $51,030 | $76,292 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.2x | 3.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.31x | 0.21x | 0.21x |
| Item | San Marcos | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.23 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.82 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $18.22 | $18 |
| Haircut | $30.11 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $53.43 | $45.56 |
| Item | San Marcos | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.49 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.67 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.64 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.87 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $9.57 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.18 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.66 | $3.7 |
| Item | San Marcos | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $117.38 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $108.42 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $124.98 | $113.29 |
| Item | San Marcos | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.06 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $53.75 | $59.92 |
| Item | San Marcos | Texas |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $172.6 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $200.15 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around San Marcos. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Round Rock, TX has a cost of living index of 109, 1.1x San Marcos.
Cedar Park, TX has a cost of living index of 115, 1.2x San Marcos.
Leander, TX has a cost of living index of 112, 1.1x San Marcos.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Marcos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Round Rock, TX | 124,288 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Cedar Park, TX | 77,474 | 115 | 1.2x |
| Leander, TX | 67,880 | 112 | 1.1x |
| Pflugerville, TX | 65,162 | 109 | 1.1x |
| Kyle, TX | 52,439 | 106 | 1.1x |
| Timberwood Park, TX | 34,980 | 125 | 1.3x |
| Cibolo, TX | 33,829 | 111 | 1.1x |
| Converse, TX | 28,764 | 100 | 1.0x |
| Brushy Creek, TX | 20,953 | 119 | 1.2x |
| Boerne, TX | 19,509 | 115 | 1.2x |