Cost of living in Rio Grande City, TX
Rio Grande City is cheap by Texas standards. Median rent is $767 a month, 45% lower than the Texas median of $1,403, and the median home is worth $113,200, 60% lower than the Texas median of $283,800.
Cost of living86 of 100. Higher means more affordable.
Overall grade for Rio Grande City: C-
- Median rent
- $767Texas $1,403
- 2-bedroom fair rent
- $1,014HUD FY2027
- Median home value
- $113,200Texas $283,800
- Monthly cost to buy
- $737Loan and property tax
- Property tax
- $1,404Median per year
- Income to rent
- $31,000At 30% of pay
Is Rio Grande City expensive?
Prices only tell half the story. The typical household here earns $44,577, so the median home costs 2.5 times a year of income, against 3.6 times across Texas and 4.1 times across the US. So for people who earn local wages, homes here are easier to afford than in most of Texas.
Our cost of living grade for Rio Grande City is A- (86 of 100), comparing it with US cities of 10,000 to 50,000 people. A higher grade means more affordable.
| Measure | Here | Texas | US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent45% lower than Texas | $767 | $1,403 | $1,413 |
| Median home value60% lower than Texas | $113,200 | $283,800 | $332,700 |
| Home value to income30% lower than Texas | 2.5x | 3.6x | 4.1x |
| Median household income43% lower than Texas | $44,577 | $78,476 | $80,734 |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent1 points higher than Texas | 53% | 52% | 51% |
| Median property tax per year67% lower than Texas | $1,404 | $4,232 | $3,119 |
Rent in Rio Grande City
HUD's fair market rents for Starr County, TX run from $771 for a studio to $1,471 for 4 bedrooms. A two-bedroom is $1,014 a month, which takes an income of about $41,000 a year to stay at 30% of pay. HUD figures include utilities and describe a typical, modest unit.
53% of renters in Rio Grande City already spend 30% or more of their income on rent, against 52% across Texas.
Income you need to rent
| Unit | Rent | Yearly income at 30% |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $771 | $31,000 |
| 1 bedroom | $775 | $31,000 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,014 | $41,000 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,404 | $56,000 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,471 | $59,000 |
Buying a home in Rio Grande City
Buying the median $113,200 home with 20% down ($22,640) and a 30-year loan at 7.28% costs about $620 a month for the loan plus $117 a month in property tax, $737 in all. Homeowners insurance, HOA dues and upkeep come on top.
That is close to the median rent, so if you plan to stay a few years, buying can cost about the same each month while building equity.
Taxes
Texas has no state income tax, which helps take-home pay. The trade-off is high property tax, set by the county, city, school district and other local bodies.
The median homeowner in Rio Grande City pays $1,404 a year in property tax, 67% lower than the Texas median of $4,232 and 55% lower than the US median. Sales tax in most of Texas tops out at 8.25%.
Monthly cost to buy a median home
- Mortgage payment
- $620
- Property tax
- $117
- Median rent, for comparison
- $767
Based on a $113,200 home in Rio Grande City, 20% down and a 30-year loan at 7.28% (Freddie Mac average, week of 2026-10-01). Property tax is the median paid locally, or the county median where the local figure is not published. Insurance and fees are not included.
Rio Grande City cost of living compared with nearby cities
Census medians. Cost grade compares each place with US places of its own size.
What these numbers leave out
We only show costs we can source for Rio Grande City itself: rent, home prices, property tax and incomes from the Census Bureau, fair market rents from HUD, and a mortgage payment at the current Freddie Mac average rate. Groceries, utilities, car insurance and health care are not included, because no public source publishes them city by city in Texas.
Cost of living in Rio Grande City: common questions
Is Rio Grande City, TX expensive to live in?
Rio Grande City is cheap by Texas standards. Median rent is $767 a month, 45% lower than the Texas median of $1,403, and the median home is worth $113,200, 60% lower than the Texas median of $283,800. Prices only tell half the story. The typical household here earns $44,577, so the median home costs 2.5 times a year of income, against 3.6 times across Texas and 4.1 times across the US. So for people who earn local wages, homes here are easier to afford than in most of Texas.
How much do you need to earn to live in Rio Grande City?
To rent a median home at $767 a month and keep rent at 30% of income, you need about $31,000 a year. To buy the median home, the monthly cost is about $737, which takes around $29,000 a year by the same rule.
What is the average rent in Rio Grande City?
The median rent across all units is $767 a month (Census). HUD's fair market rent is $771 for a studio, $775 for 1 bedroom, $1,014 for 2 bedrooms, $1,404 for 3 bedrooms, $1,471 for 4 bedrooms.
How much is property tax in Rio Grande City?
The median homeowner in Rio Grande City pays $1,404 a year in property tax, 67% lower than the Texas median of $4,232 and 55% lower than the US median. Sales tax in most of Texas tops out at 8.25%.
Sources: US Census Bureau 2020-2024 ACS 5-year, HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027, Freddie Mac PMMS (week of 2026-10-01). Updated 2026-10-04.