Cost of Living
Cost of Living in New Braunfels.
Real numbers, sourced data, and honest context for relocating buyers comparing New Braunfels to where they live now.
New Braunfels is still meaningfully cheaper than Austin and Los Angeles, but its housing-driven tax burden keeps it from feeling "low cost" in the way many Texas newcomers expect. Using the latest available city-level sources for 2026, New Braunfels screens at about 7% to 15% below the U.S. cost-of-living baseline depending on the model, with housing as the main swing factor. Source: Payscale
Near National Avg
Overview
How expensive is New Braunfels?
The cleanest current read is that New Braunfels sits just below the national average on broad cost-of-living measures, but above many Texas peers on housing and property taxes. Payscale puts New Braunfels at about 7% below the national average and shows a median home price of $449,201.
Other 2026 city calculators place it slightly lower or slightly higher, which is normal because each site weights housing, rent, and consumption differently. Groceries, utilities, and healthcare price out near or below the national average; housing is the line item that pulls the index up, and even that remains dramatically lower than coastal California, the Northeast, or Chicago.
Run the NumbersComparison
How does New Braunfels compare?
| City | Median Home Price | Property Tax Rate | Income Tax | Sales Tax | COL Index | Median Household Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Braunfels | About $449,201 [Payscale] | About 3.0% total [Comal County] | None (Texas) | About 8.25% [Comptroller] | About 93-98 vs U.S. 100 [Numbeo] | About $86,021 (Census) |
| Austin | Roughly mid-$400Ks [Numbeo] | Texas local structure; higher than most metros | None (Texas) | About 8.25% | Above NB; low 100s | About $86K-$90K |
| San Antonio | Roughly low-to-mid $300Ks [LRG Realty] | Texas local structure | None (Texas) | About 8.25% | Below NB | About $65K-$70K |
| Denver | Roughly high $500Ks to low $600Ks | Colorado local; lower rates but higher base | Yes, Colorado state | 8.81% combined | Well above NB | About $90K-$95K |
| Los Angeles | Roughly high $900Ks to low $1Ms | CA local; lower rates but far higher values | Yes, California state | About 9.5-10.25% | Far above NB | About $80K-$90K |
| Chicago | Roughly low-to-mid $300Ks | Illinois local; heavy relative to value | Yes, Illinois state | About 10.25% | Above NB | About $70K-$80K |
Sources: Payscale, Numbeo, LRG Realty, Comal County Tax Estimator
0% Income Tax
Taxes
What drives taxes in Comal County?
Property taxes in New Braunfels are built from multiple taxing jurisdictions, not one flat city tax. For a typical owner inside city limits, the bill can include Comal County, the City of New Braunfels, a school district such as New Braunfels ISD or Comal ISD, and any special districts such as ESDs or water-related districts where applicable.
Current local examples: City of NB rate about 0.408936 per $100, Comal County about 0.305015, Comal ISD about 1.0748, NBISD about 1.0377. ESDs vary by location. Stacked together for an in-city home, the all-in effective rate typically lands around 3% of taxable value.
Sources: Comal County Tax Estimator, City of NB Tax Information
Estimate Net Proceeds
$140K Exemption
Homestead
How does the homestead exemption work?
Texas property-tax relief works by reducing the taxable value used by school districts first. Using a $500,000 home as an example, a $140,000 school-district homestead exemption leaves $360,000 taxable for the school portion. At the NBISD rate of about 1.0377 per $100, the school-tax piece comes to roughly $3,736. County, city, and ESD taxes are applied separately to their own taxable values.
Local taxing units add additional optional exemptions on top, typically the greater of $5,000 or 20% of value. Senior buyers (age 65+) get further protection with an additional exemption and a school-tax freeze at the dollar amount it was the year you turned 65. You file once with the Comal Appraisal District after closing.
Sources: Texas Comptroller, NBISD Tax Rate
Ask Glen About Taxes
Bottom Line
Buyer Context
What should buyers know?
New Braunfels is not a low-tax bubble. The absence of state income tax is offset by heavy local property taxes and above-average housing costs relative to many Texas cities. That said, it still compares favorably with Austin and coastal California on total monthly ownership cost, and the income-tax savings from leaving a state like California, Illinois, or New York usually more than cover the property-tax difference.
For relocators, the honest framing is this: you will save meaningfully compared to Austin, Denver, LA, and Chicago. You will not save compared to San Antonio or smaller Texas cities. The tradeoff is the Hill Country lifestyle, river access, school quality, and a growth trajectory that has kept property values strong.
Looking for school district details? See our New Braunfels School Districts guide.
Source: LRG Realty
Talk to GlenCost of Living FAQ
What Relocating Buyers Ask Most
Is New Braunfels cheaper than Austin?
Yes, usually by a wide margin on housing and a noticeable margin on overall cost of living. Austin median home prices have hovered in the mid-$400Ks alongside higher rents, while New Braunfels delivers comparable Hill Country access at a meaningfully lower price point. Both cities share the same Texas tax structure (no income tax, 8.25% sales tax), so the difference comes down to housing and local property-tax jurisdiction stacking.
Sources: Payscale , LRG Realty
Does New Braunfels have a city income tax?
No. Texas has no state income tax, and New Braunfels has no city income tax. The tradeoff is that property taxes and sales taxes matter more here than in states with an income tax. For most relocators from California, Illinois, or New York, the income-tax savings still offset the higher property-tax bill, but the net benefit depends on your specific income and home value.
Sources: Texas Comptroller
Why do New Braunfels property taxes feel so high?
Because the bill stacks multiple local taxing jurisdictions, and school taxes are often the biggest single line item. A typical in-city homeowner pays rates set by Comal County, the City of New Braunfels, a school district (Comal ISD or NBISD), and potentially an ESD or water district. Each entity sets its own rate independently, and they all add up on one bill.
Sources: Comal County Tax Estimator , City of NB Tax Info
Keep Learning
More on Living Here.
Schools
School Districts
Comal ISD, NBISD, zoning, and what relocating families need to know.
Lifestyle
Things to Do
Schlitterbahn, Gruene Hall, two rivers, and Hill Country wineries.
Where to Live
Neighborhoods & Communities
Glen knows the best neighborhoods and Hill Country alternatives.
Tools
Mortgage Calculator
Run the numbers on a New Braunfels home purchase.
Questions About Cost of Living or Taxes?
Glen helps relocators from out of state understand the real numbers before they make a move.
Talk to Glen