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Chapa's Moving Service

Moving From San Antonio to Houston? ➡️ What to Know About Moving to Houston to San Antonio and Back

Last Updated On: 17th July 2026, 03:01 pm

Are you planning to move from San Antonio to Houston? People move from San Antonio to Houston for a variety of reasons. Some of the more common reasons are for a new job, buying a bigger or smaller home, moving closer to family, getting married, better schools, or just wanting a change. 

Moving long distance is a major undertaking and can be very stressful because you have so much to do. Our San Antonio movers understand the challenges, and we have all the tools and expertise to make your move from San Antonio to Houston as smooth and stress-free as possible.

What Moving to Houston Is Like?  

Houston, or H-Town, is a thriving city and the 4th most populous city in the nation. With a strong job market, it’s a great place for young professionals, especially in the oil and gas, aerospace, technology, and healthcare industries. Companies like Chevron, ConocoPhillips, Occidental Petroleum, Hewlett Packard, and Sysco are all headquartered in Houston, not to mention Houston is the home of NASA. 

Houston has excellent schools, many parks, and 14 major colleges and universities. The city has affordable housing, a low cost of living, and world-class healthcare. The Texas Medical Center is the largest life sciences destination in the world. The Galleria in Houston is the largest shopping mall in Texas, and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is the biggest rodeo in the world.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Lynn Wyatt Square for the Performing Arts, the Bayou Music Center, the Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Zoo, and the Children’s Museum Houston are just a few of the many venues in Houston. Black History Month Culture Fest, the Indian Film Festival of Houston, and the Houston Latin Fest are just some of Houston’s diverse lineup of festivals.   

Houston has more Fortune 500 companies than any other city in Texas, including Phillips 66, Sysco Corp, and ConocoPhillips. Houston is a sports town, with four major league professional teams: the Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Texans (NFL), Houston Rockets (NBA), and Houston Dynamo (MLS). 

Houston has a population of 2,304,580, and the Houston metropolitan area has a combined population of 7,122,240. The median household income in Houston is $62,894. Home prices average $314,950, and rents average $1,355 a month for an 882-square-foot apartment. 

Moving From San Antonio to Houston - What You Need to Know 

A sign with We heart Houston written in colorful sculpture letters

Here are some comparisons between San Antonio and Houston: 

Cost of living 

The cost of living is very similar in both cities. The cost of living is 6% higher in Houston than in San Antonio. The biggest cost of living factor is housing costs, which are 13% higher in Houston. Rental prices in Houston are about $1,355, while San Antonio’s rental prices average $1,291. Other cost of living indexes:

  • Goods and services - 2% higher in Houston
  • Groceries - 5% higher in Houston
  • Healthcare - 9% lower in Houston
  • Transportation - 3% lower in Houston
  • Utilities - 18% higher in Houston 

The median household income is almost identical in both cities: $62,917 in San Antonio and $62,894 in Houston.  

Crime rate

The overall crime rate is very similar in both cities. Houston’s crime rate is 10% lower than San Antonio’s. However, Houston’s violent crime rate is 70% higher than San Antonio’s. This might suggest that Houston is more dangerous, but most violent crime in big cities is concentrated in certain areas that can be easily avoided. 

Median home price

Home prices in Houston are higher than in San Antonio. The median price for a home in Houston is $314,950 compared to $252,900 in San Antonio. 

Neighborhoods and diversity

Both Houston and San Antonio are culturally and ethnically diverse. Here is the demographic comparison between the two cities:

HoustonSan Antonio
White alone 35.5%48.3%
Black or African American alone 22.9%6.9%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.9%1.1%
Asian 6.9%3.1%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.1%0.1%
Two or More Races19.2%29.6%
Hispanic or Latino44.1%64.4%
White alone, not Hispanic or Latino23.6%23.3%

Weather

San Antonio and Houston both have a subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters. Summer highs in both cities range from the upper 80s to the low 90s, but some days, temperatures reach over 100°F. Winter temperatures average in the low 60s in both cities. Humidity is high in both cities due to their proximity to the Gulf Coast. Houston gets about 50 inches of rain per year, while San Antonio only experiences around 32 inches. Both cities are prone to frequent thunderstorms. 

Things to do

San Antonio’s riverwalk on a sunny day

Houston is bigger than San Antonio and has more sights, attractions, and activities. 

Houston's Museum District has 19 different museums, including the Space Center Houston, the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Houston Children's Museum. San Antonio is famous for the Alamo and the River Walk, but it's also home to the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park & Mission Trail, the San Antonio Museum of Art, Witte Museum, and the Guinness World Records Museum.

Houston is famous for Texas barbecue, Mexican food, and a wide diversity of other different ethnic foods. San Antonio features authentic Mexican food, Tex-Mex, and Hill Country specialties.   

Schools/Education

Both San Antonio and Houston have some good public schools to choose from. Houston Independent School District (HISD) has 274 schools, 11 of which are ranked in the top 100 schools in Texas by US News, including Carnegie Vanguard High School, ranked 5th in the state and 31st nationally. HISD enrolls 189,934 students. The San Antonio Independent School District contains 98 schools and 45,255 students. BASIS San Antonio- Shavano Campus is the 64th-ranked school in the US, according to USNews. 

Public transportation/traffic

Houston doesn’t have a robust public transit system. Local METRO buses run along dozens of routes. The METRORail train and commuter system, which includes park and rides, has only 22 miles of track in a city that spans nearly 9,500 square miles. San Antonio’s VIA Metropolitan Transit has a fleet of 511 buses, with 5,984 bus stops along 75 bus lines. Via has 138 paratransit vehicles as well. Via runs 25 million passenger trips per year.  

Culture/vibe

You can find vibrant downtown scenes in Houston and San Antonio. Both cities offer museums, arts, music, theater, festivals, and more. Houston is one of only a few US cities that has a major symphony, ballet, opera, and theater company. San Antonio has everything from Broadway shows to concerts, plays, ballet, opera, comedy acts, and more. 

Sports

Houston is a sports town with four major professional sports teams: Houston Astros (MLB), Houston Texans (NFL), Houston Rockets (NBA), as well as several minor league clubs. Basketball is king in San Antonio. The city is home to the NBA champion Spurs and the WNBA's Silver Starz. The American Hockey League's Rampage and minor league baseball's Missions also call San Antonio home.

San Antonio to Houston Movers 

A long-distance move from San Antonio to Houston can seem overwhelming for the DIYer. Hiring a top San Antonio to Houston mover gives you a dedicated move coordinator, professional-grade boxes and packing materials, and optional packing services. Professional movers have the right trucks, equipment, and know-how to make your move as smooth and easy as possible. You get peace of mind when you hire a professional San Antonio to Houston mover. 

Benefits of Using Professional San Antonio Moving Companies:

  • Saves time
  • Stress-free
  • Experienced movers
  • Safety
  • Professional packing & unpacking service
  • Licensed and insured 
  • No heavy lifting
  • Proper equipment

Why Chapa’s Moving Is Your Best San Antonio to Houston Moving Company Choice 

An important thing to remember when choosing a San Antonio to Houston mover is that not all movers are the same. You want to choose an affordable mover that you can trust. Here are some important things to consider before you choose a long-distance San Antonio to Houston mover: 

  • Check Yelp and Google reviews (We have a 4.8 Google rating)
  • How long have they been in business? (We’ve been in business for over 56 years.)
  • How many moves have they completed? (We’ve completed over 30,000 moves.)
  • What is their claims rate? (Ours is very low.)
  • Are they licensed and insured? (We are fully licensed and insured.)
  • Do they have the proper equipment and trucks? (We have all the equipment needed and properly maintained professional moving trucks.)
  • Do they have awesome customer service? (We have a 7.19/10 customer satisfaction rate.)
  • Are the crews trained? (Our professional moving company is highly trained and reliable.)

San Antonio to Houston Moving Cost

How much a San Antonio to Houston move will cost depends on several factors, which makes rough estimates hard to give online. We can give you an affordable and more accurate estimate based on the information you provide us. Here are some of the factors that go into a long-distance move estimate:

  • Distance 
  • Weight/volume 
  • Time of year
  • Additional services
  • Storage needs
  • Specialized moving (pianos, artwork, antiques, pool tables, etc.)

San Antonio to Houston Distances & Travel Information

Here are the estimated costs and times for your trip depending on whether you drive, fly, or take a train:

Driving From San Antonio to Houston

The distance from San Antonio to Houston is about 197 miles, and it takes about 3 hours to drive there along Interstate 10.   

Flying From San Antonio to Houston: 

A non-stop flight from San Antonio International Airport to William P. Hobby Airport takes about 1 hour. Flights typically start at around $59.

Train From San Antonio to Houston:

Amtrak has one train daily that runs from San Antonio to Houston. The trip takes about 4.5 hours and covers 189 miles. The average ticket price is around $32.   

Hire Movers in San Antonio With Chapas Moving

If you're looking to hire movers in San Antonio, our professional moving company is here to help! We'll assist you in your relocation within the San Antonio area or far away and even offer the option to finance your move. Whether you're coming from San Antonio or Houston, don't waste your time looking at other moving companies. We can help you with moving from Houston to San Antonio and back! 

Trust Chapas Moving to help you go from Houston to San Antonio and back. We can lend a hand with intrastate moves, long distance moving services, loading your moving truck, storage, and more!  

Chapa's Moving Service
We are an independently owned moving company based out of McAllen, Texas. In addition to being a full-service moving company serving local and statewide moves, Chapa’s Moving Service offers packaging, loading, and unloading for our clients who prefer to move themselves.
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TX 77375
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