San Marcos, TX Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In San Marcos, TX Summary

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.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
99
San Marcos's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in San Marcos, TX?

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:

232 out of 414
In Texas
2,497 out of 6,489
In America

San Marcos Cost Of Living Vs. Texas

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
For more reading on cost of living around Texas, check out:
San Marcos Cost of Living Vs. TX

San Marcos, TX Housing Cost Breakdown

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
$314,466
Median Home Value
$1,299
Median Rent
$51,030
Median Income

San Marcos, TX Costs By Category

Detailed San Marcos Services Costs Vs. Texas

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

Detailed San Marcos Groceries Costs Vs. Texas

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

Detailed San Marcos Health Costs Vs. Texas

Item San Marcos Texas
Optometrist $117.38 $125.68
Doctor $108.42 $135.78
Dentist $124.98 $113.29

Detailed San Marcos Transportation Costs Vs. Texas

Item San Marcos Texas
Gasoline $3.06 $3.46
Tire Balancing $53.75 $59.92

Detailed San Marcos Utilities Costs Vs. Texas

Item San Marcos Texas
All Electricity $172.6 $193.99
Phone $200.15 $192.25

San Marcos SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
8
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
5
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Marcos

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

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