San Antonio is a city that never stops expanding. It’s got the River Walk, the Alamo, and enough Tex-Mex restaurants to make you question why you ever ate anywhere else. But affordable housing? That’s becoming harder to find. If you don’t want to drain your bank account just to live within city limits, there’s good news—several affordable San Antonio suburbs offer cheaper rent, more space, and a slightly lower chance of your neighbor’s car alarm going off at 3 a.m.
San Antonio’s housing market at a glance
San Antonio’s housing market remains more affordable than many major cities, but prices have been climbing. Fortunately, several nearby suburbs offer lower rents, more space, and easy access to the city’s best attractions. Here’s a quick look at San Antonio’s current housing prices before diving into seven of the most affordable San Antonio suburbs for renters in 2025.
| Average 1-bedroom rent in San Antonio | $1,111 |
| Average 2-bedroom rent in San Antonio | $1,392 |
| Median home price in San Antonio | $252,900 |
1. Balcones Heights
A tiny suburb where you can live five minutes from downtown San Antonio and still somehow find yourself at a jazz festival in a shopping mall.
- Average 1-bedroom rent: $750
- Distance from San Antonio: 10 miles west
- Drive time to San Antonio: About 15 minutes
Coming in at $750 per month on average for a 1-bedroom, Balcones Heights is the suburb for people who want to live close to downtown San Antonio without having to explain to their landlord why they’re always late on rent. Wonderland of the Americas shopping mall is one of the biggest attractions here, offering a mix of major retailers, local vendors, and a jazz festival that somehow manages to make the mall food court feel sophisticated. Housing options in Balcones Heights are a mix of affordable apartments, townhomes, and older single-family homes that are actually within reach for the average person.
2. Floresville
A town where people take their peanuts seriously—so seriously, in fact, they dedicate an entire festival to them every year.
- Average 1-bedroom rent: $785
- Distance from San Antonio: 30 miles southeast
- Drive time to San Antonio: About 35 minutes
At $785 per month on average for a 1-bedroom, Floresville is the type of suburb where you can afford rent and still have enough money left for a stress-free Whataburger run. The town is best known for the Floresville Peanut Festival, an annual event that celebrates peanuts with the same enthusiasm other places reserve for sports championships. The Wilson County Courthouse is an architectural landmark that has stood for well over a century. The housing market features budget-friendly apartments and ranch-style homes with actual backyards, because yes, those still exist.
3. Helotes
A place where you can sip wine at a local vineyard, browse a historic district, and hike a canyon—just in case you’re indecisive about how to spend your weekend.
- Average 1-bedroom rent: $914
- Distance from San Antonio: 20 miles northwest
- Drive time to San Antonio: About 30 minutes
With an average monthly 1-bedroom rent of $914, Helotes is a small-town suburb that feels like you stepped into a postcard of old Texas. Old Town Helotes is packed with quirky shops, great restaurants, and a monthly market day. Helotes Creek Winery keeps the local wine scene alive, because who doesn’t need a glass (or bottle) after dealing with I-10 traffic? If you’d rather be outside, Government Canyon State Natural Area offers miles of hiking trails and actual dinosaur tracks, making it one of the few places where you can literally walk in prehistoric footsteps.
4. Universal City
A suburb where you can hit the golf course, watch a movie, and take your kids to a splash pad, all while still technically being in the shadow of an Air Force base.
- Average 1-bedroom rent: $966
- Distance from San Antonio: 18 miles northeast
- Drive time to San Antonio: About 25 minutes
At $966 per month on average for a 1-bedroom, Universal City is for people who want affordable rent served up with a side of convenience. It’s home to Universal City Park, which has playgrounds, sports courts, and plenty of green space. Regal Live Oak Theater ensures you never have to drive out to your friends living in San Antonio just to see a movie. Housing here is mostly apartments and single-family homes that don’t require major life changes just to afford the rent.
5. Converse
A suburb where you can spend the morning fishing in a quiet park, the afternoon shopping for things you don’t need, and the evening wondering how you ended up with a kayak.
- Average 1-bedroom rent: $998
- Distance from San Antonio: 16 miles northeast
- Drive time to San Antonio: About 22 minutes
The average monthly rent in Converse sits at $998 per month, making Converse one of those suburbs where you get way more than you pay for. Converse City Park has walking trails, sports fields, and even a fishing lake. If retail therapy is more your thing, the Forum Shopping Center is right nearby, giving you access to all the chain stores you secretly love. Housing in Converse is a nice mix of affordable apartments, townhomes, and starter homes with garages that actually fit cars.
6. Canyon Lake
The closest thing South Central Texas has to a beach town—if you replace the ocean with a lake and the beach culture with people who own way too many jet skis.
- Average 1-bedroom rent: $1,024
- Distance from San Antonio: 44 miles north
- Drive time to San Antonio: About 50 minutes
At $1,024 per month on average for a 1-bedroom, Canyon Lake is for people who want to live near water without selling off the family heirlooms for it. Overlook Park provides some of the best views of the lake. The Heritage Museum of the Texas Hill Country adds a little history with its collection of dinosaur footprints and local artifacts.
7. Selma
A place where your neighbors are just as likely to be horses as they are people, thanks to the town’s deep love of race tracks and open land.
- Average 1-bedroom rent: $1,030
- Distance from San Antonio: 16 miles northeast
- Drive time to San Antonio: About 21 minutes
With an average monthly rent of $1,030 per month, Selma is a growing suburb with a little bit of everything. Retama Park is a major draw, hosting horse races and other events. Retama Springs Nature Park provides a quieter escape with scenic trails and natural beauty. Housing includes affordable apartments, townhouses, and suburban homes with driveways that make parallel parking a thing of the past.
See yourself in an affordable San Antonio suburb
Finding affordable San Antonio suburbs isn’t impossible—you just have to decide what kind of lifestyle you want. If you want rock-bottom rent, Balcones Heights and Floresville are your best bets. Looking for small-town charm with great outdoor spaces? Helotes and Canyon Lake are calling your name. And if you want affordability with easy access to city conveniences, Universal City, Converse, and Selma all deliver.
No matter which suburb you choose, you’ll get more space, lower rent, and the satisfaction of knowing you don’t have to live paycheck to paycheck just to afford a place to sleep.
Affordability is based on whether a suburb’s one-bedroom rent was less than San Antonio’s average rent and under 45 miles from downtown San Antonio. Average rental data from San Antonio rental market trends in February, 2025. Population data sourced from the United States Census Bureau.
