Lake City, SC vs San Antonio, TX: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

San Antonio, TX has a modeled overall cost index 6.6% higher than Lake City, SC.

Lake City, SC · modeled 2BR rent
$960 / month
San Antonio, TX · modeled 2BR rent
$1,470 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Lake City, SC and San Antonio, TX using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $600/month in San Antonio, TX

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $157,203 in San Antonio, TX

Regional cost estimates: Lake City, SC uses Fayetteville, NC. San Antonio, TX uses San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 6.6%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$600
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$7.2K
Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Lake City, SC

Population:6K
Cost Index:
85.3
100 = national average
Typical Home:$122K

San Antonio, TX

Population:1547K
Cost Index:
91.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$215K

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Lake City, SC

The Palmetto State

6K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in South Carolina, this city has a population of 6K residents.

San Antonio, TX

The Lone Star State

1.5M
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax

Located in Texas, this city has a population of 1.5M residents.

💡 Advantage: Texas has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Lake City, SC vs San Antonio, TX

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Housing
↑ 13.9%
Lake City, SC
$2,143
San Antonio, TX
$2,441
Difference
$297
more
Transportation
↑ 15.4%
Lake City, SC
$1,296
San Antonio, TX
$1,496
Difference
$200
more
Other
↑ 10.5%
Lake City, SC
$1,733
San Antonio, TX
$1,915
Difference
$182
more
Healthcare
↓ 9.0%
Lake City, SC
$673
San Antonio, TX
$612
Difference
$60.67
less
Groceries
↓ 1.1%
Lake City, SC
$1,074
San Antonio, TX
$1,062
Difference
$12.34
less
All Utilities
↓ 0.9%
Lake City, SC
$581
San Antonio, TX
$576
Difference
$5.08
less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$780
To$1,110
↑ $330
1 Bed
From$780
To$1,210
↑ $430
2 Bed
From$960
To$1,470
↑ $510
3 Bed
From$1,230
To$1,890
↑ $660
Lake City, SCZIP-level data

1BR range: $780–$780/mo

San Antonio, TXZIP-level data

1BR range: $840–$1,770/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500
Monthly in Lake City, SC
$8,100
Monthly in San Antonio, TX
$600
Difference

Home Values

Lake City
San Antonio
$122K
Median Value
$215K
↓ -1.6%
YoY Change
↓ -2.9%
↑ +18.6%
5-Year Change
↑ +16.7%
$122K
Price Range
$107K - $905K

Homes in San Antonio are 77% more expensive than Lake City

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $10.0K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$830
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
6.6%
Rate difference

Lake City, SC

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
South Carolina State Tax
Effective: 6.6%
$10.0K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 31.3%
$47.0K
Take-Home Pay
$8,586/month
$103.0K

San Antonio, TX

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Texas State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Lake City, SC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.4%
Property Tax:0.6%

San Antonio, TX Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%
Property Tax:1.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Lake City
San Antonio
46 Good
Air Quality
52 Moderate
63.7%
Good Air Days
47.5%
89 Moderate
Climate Risk
99 High
🌀🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌡🌪
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.6°F
36 days
Heat Days >95°F
105 days
▲+2.5°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.6°F
36 days
Heat Days >95°F
105 days

Before moving from Lake City, SC to San Antonio, TX

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in San Antonio, TX for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Lake City, SC. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
  3. Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Lake City to San Antonio moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to San Antonio, TX by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Lake City, SC vs San Antonio, TX

How do the cost estimates for Lake City, SC and San Antonio, TX compare?

San Antonio, TX has a modeled overall cost index 6.6% higher than Lake City, SC. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Lake City, SC, the model estimates $157,203 in San Antonio, TX. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Lake City, SC and San Antonio, TX?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $960/month in Lake City, SC and $1,470/month in San Antonio, TX. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between South Carolina and Texas on TaxTakeHome.com

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