Cost of Living
Expansive quality and opportunity at enviably lower costs.
Rio South Texas gives residents plenty of space to grow, with abundant available land, wide-ranging opportunity and more room in family budgets thanks to the region’s attractive costs of living, as a Salary.com sample comparison* shows:
Chicago Costs
Brownsville: 32.7% lower McAllen: 33.6% lower Laredo: 29.9% lowerPhoenix Costs
Brownsville: 26.4% lower McAllen: 27.4% lower Laredo: 23.3% lowerATLANTA COSTS
Brownsville: 22.8% lower McAllen: 23.9% lower Laredo: 19.6% lowerLOUISVILLE Costs
Brownsville: 15.2% lower McAllen: 16.3% lower Laredo: 11.6% lowerPITTSBURGH COSTS
Brownsville: 18.1% lower McAllen: 19.2% lower Laredo: 14.7% lowerAlso, cities in this region offer lower costs in comparison to the rest of the state: Out of the top 10 low-cost cities in Texas, three spots are claimed by Rio South Texas cities: McAllen at #10, Laredo at #4 and Brownsville at #2, according to Better Homes & Gardens Homecity.com.
Lower Costs and Richer Life with The McAllen Economic Development Corp
Best of all, the significant cost savings in this region come with inviting quality. Our neighborhoods are attractive and welcoming and our healthcare services are patient-centered. Rio South Texas also adds affordable quality while expanding opportunity with advantages such as high-performing public schools. In 2019, Laredo’s high schools had a four-year graduation rate of 94.5%, McAllen’s had a 97% graduation rate, and Brownsville’s Early High School graduation rate was 100%.
The region’s bountiful recreational and cultural opportunities also enrich life without denting budgets. Families enjoy free access to resort quality beaches at destinations like South Padre Island and Port Isabel Beach. State parks are another great source for adventure and fun, at Falcon State Park where the Falcon International Reservoir is an angler’s delight; at Lake Casa Blanca International State Park and Lake Casa Blanca; and at the birding havens of Resaca de la Palma State Park and Estero Llano Grande State Park. Rio South Texas is also home to art and history highlights on the Texas Tropical Trail.
With the help of the McAllen Economic Development Corp, lower overall costs, along with assets in education and recreation, mean dollars go further here, and families can put down stronger roots for a life of great quality and opportunity.