Looking at the housing prices in major U.S. cities now, most places are quite expensive.

Cities like LA, SF, NY, and even major Texas cities like Dallas and Austin are no exception.

However, San Antonio is a bit different. Compared to the average in major cities, it still feels like a livable place, and that's not just a saying.

Let's take a look at the housing prices. According to recent data, the median home price in San Antonio is around $270,000 to $300,000.

In 2011, the median home price in the San Antonio area was about $150,000, but by 2020, it had risen to about $249,000, an increase of approximately 65%.

After that, during the pandemic, demand for relocation and population growth in Texas contributed to prices rising to around $300,000 at one point.

Still, considering that the national average has risen to around $400,000, the difference is quite significant.

Austin has long been talking about prices around $500,000, and in Dallas, decent neighborhoods have high home prices as well.

However, San Antonio still gives off the vibe of being a "city where an average worker can own a home."

There aren't many places left among the top 10 U.S. cities that maintain this atmosphere. San Antonio is the 7th largest city, following Philadelphia, which is 6th.

Looking at the current situation, it seems that the prices that rose during the pandemic are now starting to settle down. The issue is the interest rates. Even if home prices go down, high mortgage rates mean that the monthly payments remain about the same.

When I meet friends in the neighborhood these days, everyone says similar things. "The interest is scarier than the home prices." And it really is. Comparing the monthly payments for the same house to a few years ago just brings a sigh.

We can't overlook the electricity costs either. Living in San Antonio without air conditioning is simply impossible. Friends who don't know the situation here say, "Why not just open the windows at night when it's hot?" But if you did that in Texas, your house would turn into a sauna.

So, summer electricity bills become really important. Surprisingly, San Antonio's utility costs are about 16% lower than the national average. Of course, it's common for some homes to see bills of $300 or $400 in the summer. Especially in older single-family homes with poor insulation, air conditioning can really drain your wallet.

However, when you hear about California, we're actually doing okay. Reports say that in San Francisco, the average monthly electricity bill exceeds $280 even without running the air conditioning much.

Gas prices are also relatively manageable. Since Texas is the heart of the energy industry, prices are fairly stable. Winter heating costs can't be compared to northern cities. In New York or Chicago, turning off the heat in winter can be a disaster, but here, it's not that cold. Instead, summer air conditioning takes its place. Ultimately, money goes out somewhere all year round.

It's hard to say that San Antonio is still a cheap place like it used to be. Texas property taxes are still high, and insurance rates creep up every year. Still, it feels less like you're sacrificing most of your paycheck to pay for housing compared to big cities in New York or California.

So, the longer someone has lived in the U.S., the more they tend to look back at cities like this. I once thought about living in another big city, but as I hit my forties, I realize that this place is the answer. The age of loving flashy things has passed, and it's become more important not to sigh when looking at my bank balance every month.