Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Rio Grande City, Texas
A $113,000 home here costs
$1,078per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $581. The real number is $497 higher every month — 86% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Rio Grande City against Starr County and Texas
| Measure | Rio Grande City | Starr County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $113,400 | $93,300 |
| Median property tax | $1,354 | $1,047 |
| Effective tax rate | 1.194% | 1.122% |
| Median gross rent | $742 | $715 |
| Population | 15,258 | 65,809 |
The weather behind that power bill
Rio Grande City sits in Starr County, which averages a high of 99.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 45.2°F in its coldest, with 22.47" of precipitation a year and 40% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 4,232 cooling and 796 heating degree days, which is what sets the $148 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Starr County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Starr County
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Rio Grande City?
A $113,000 home in Rio Grande City, Texas costs approximately $1,078 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $581 principal and interest, $112 property tax, $75 homeowners insurance, $216 utilities and $94 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Rio Grande City?
Rio Grande City has an effective property tax rate of 1.194%, based on a median home value of $113,400 and median real estate taxes of $1,354. That is higher than the Starr County average of 1.122%.
What is the average home price in Rio Grande City?
The median owner-occupied home value in Rio Grande City, Texas is $113,400, against $93,300 across Starr County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rio Grande City?
Median gross rent in Rio Grande City is $742 a month, against $1,078 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Rio Grande City — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Texas.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.