When it comes to the overall cost of living, there's a big difference between Austin and San Antonio. According to Sperling's Best Places, living in Austin is 33% more expensive than living in San Antonio. Despite this, Austin has lower unemployment and more significant job growth. San Antonio has a lot of traffic centered on the city center that expands to more open areas around the suburbs.
The city also has a healthy business environment due to low taxes and investments in infrastructure. It is home to the 162-year-old Menger Hotel, and it thrives in the technology and science industries with significant participation in healthcare, biosciences, the aerospace industry, information technology, cybersecurity and the new energy economy. The unemployment rate in San Antonio is around 6.6%, with employment growth expected for the next ten years at approximately 15.2%. Sports are highly appreciated by residents of the city, although not as varied as in Austin.
Despite relatively long trips, there are suburbs near metropolitan areas that can reduce travel time for residents of both cities. In conclusion, both Austin and San Antonio have positive outlooks in terms of unemployment and employment growth. However, when it comes to cost of living, San Antonio has the real estate advantage over Austin due to its affordability.
