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Cost of living in McAllen, TX

Compared with New York. Change city

$2,656a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $31,868 a year, enough to cover 22 months of the mortgage in McAllen. The average commute is 14 minutes shorter each way, about 2.3 hours a week back4.

Typical home $258,750 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $1,030 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Palm-lined 2nd Street at Ridge Road, McAllen, McAllenAnthony Acosta / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
All cities
  • College townSouth Texas College main campus
  • Beach or lakeRio Grande forms the city's southern boundary

McAllen at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
McAllen$1,422/mo
$258,750 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
McAllen$1,030/mo
About $967 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in McAllen

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs644% cheaper than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$114,463
McAllen in a paragraph

The median listed home in McAllen is $258,750 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 38% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $1,422 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,030 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 85.9, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $114,463 here.

Weather

8
  • 52.7°January low
  • 98.5°July high

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
McAllen$258,750
65% less, a $483,250 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
McAllen$159
3.1 times the space for the money

Your New York, in McAllen

We're matching McAllen's parks, museums, arenas and food halls to their New York counterparts. Until then, see how it works for Raleigh.

See how McAllen ranks for your household

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Is McAllen a good place to live?

McAllen fits families who want prices 14% below the US average and homes list 38% below the US median. The main trade-off is hot summers. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Prices 14% below the US averageEveryday prices, rent included, index at 85.9 against a US average of 100.BEA regional price parities, 2024
  • Homes list 38% below the US median$258,750 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
  • University townSouth Texas College main campusSlower Sundays city profile
  • Beach or lake accessRio Grande forms the city's southern boundarySlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Hot summersJuly highs average 98.5°F.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
  • No nonstop flights to New YorkTrips home mean a connection or a drive to a bigger airport.Airport route page, accessed November 3, 2026

More on McAllen and Texas

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McAllen cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in McAllen, TX?

The median listed home in McAllen is $258,750 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 38% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $1,422 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,030 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 85.9, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $114,463 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to McAllen?

The median listed home is $258,750 in McAllen against $742,000 in the New York metro, 65% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $2,656 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in McAllen?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the McAllen metro is $1,030 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $967 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in McAllen matches $150,000 in New York?

$114,463. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (85.9 in McAllen, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does McAllen pay you to move there?

None of the relocation incentive programs we track cover McAllen as of October 2026.

What is the weather like in McAllen?

January lows average 52.7°F and July highs 98.5°F (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, McAllen Miller International Airport).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  8. 8Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, McAllen Miller International Airport.
Sources for this page