Side-by-side comparison of El Paso, TX and San Antonio, TX — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.
Cash flow: El Paso has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 3.69% compared to San Antonio's 3.15%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $195,000 in El Paso vs $280,000 in San Antonio, while rents come in at $1,080/mo and $1,420/mo respectively.
Growth & appreciation: San Antonio is growing faster at 1.4% annually vs El Paso's 0.6%. San Antonio leads on home value appreciation at 2.5% per year.
Costs & risk: Property taxes are 1.74% in El Paso vs 1.72% in San Antonio. Vacancy rates of 6.2% and 6.8% are mixed — El Paso has the tighter rental market.
Bottom line: El Paso edges out San Antonio on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 3.69%, El Paso's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in El Paso or San Antonio.