Best Places to Retire in Texas for Cost of Living
Quick answer
The most affordable places to retire in Texas in 2026 are Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Fort Worth. Corpus Christi ranks first, with col index of 88.7. Rankings below cover 15 Texas cities and measure the overall cost-of-living index relative to the U.S. average (100), using the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau.
Cities where your retirement savings go further, ranked by overall cost of living and affordability. When choosing a retirement destination in Texas, cost of living is often a top priority. The cities below are ranked by the overall cost-of-living index relative to the U.S. average (100), drawn from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau and refreshed for 2026.
Source: the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau. See our full methodology and data lineage →
Ranked #1 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 88.7.
COL Index
88.7
Ranked #2 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 91.5.
COL Index
91.5
Ranked #3 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #4 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for tax-friendly for retirees and established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #5 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for tax-friendly for retirees and established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #6 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #7 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #8 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #9 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #10 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #11 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #12 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #13 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #14 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
Ranked #15 of 15 Texas cities for cost of living, with col index of 97.4. Retirees choose it for established retirement community.
COL Index
97.4
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What is the best place to retire in Texas for cost of living?
Corpus Christi ranks first among Texas retirement cities for cost of living, with col index of 88.7. San Antonio and Fort Worth follow closely behind. Rankings use the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau.
How does RetireCityIQ rank Texas cities for cost of living?
Each city is scored on the overall cost-of-living index relative to the U.S. average (100), sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and the Census Bureau. Cities are then ordered from lowest to highest on that metric. See our methodology page for the full scoring model and data lineage.
Which Texas cities are covered in these cost of living rankings?
These rankings cover 15 Texas retirement cities, including Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Fort Worth, Vernon, Brenham, and more. Each links to a full retirement guide with cost of living, taxes, healthcare, and climate data.