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Charlotte vs Nashville

Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.

Charlotte, NC vs Nashville, TN at a glance — Nashville, TN is 0% more expensive than Charlotte, NC overall. Median 1-bed rent runs about $1,550/mo versus $1,500/mo. The top national income-tax rate is 37%.

$/ year

To keep the same standard of living in Nashville, TN, you'd need

$75,247 / year

Nashville, TN is 0% more expensive overall

Category breakdown (Nashville, TN vs Charlotte, NC)

  • Housing+3%
  • Food & groceries-1%
  • Transport0%
  • Utilities-3%
  • Healthcare-3%
  • Goods & services0%

◎ How Charlotte, NC and Nashville, TN compare

HousingFood & groceriesTransportUtilitiesHealthcareGoods & services
Charlotte, NCNashville, TN

Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.

▤ Full comparison

Charlotte, NCNashville, TN
Cost of living
Overall cost index9798
Housing105108
Food9291
Transport9595
Utilities9289
Healthcare9491
Goods & services9595
Housing
Rent, 1-bed centre$1,500/mo$1,550/mo
Rent, 1-bed outside$1,200/mo$1,250/mo
Rent, 3-bed centre$2,700/mo$2,800/mo
Buy price / m² centre$3,800$4,500
Money & purchasing power
$1,000 goes as far as$1,028$1,024
Inexpensive meal$16$17
Monthly transit pass$88$88
Taxes
Income tax (top rate)37%37%
VAT / sales tax0%0%
Social security (employee)7.7%7.7%
Corporate tax21%21%
Capital gains20%20%
Economy & salaries
Avg net salary$4,300/mo$4,300/mo
Minimum wage$1,257/mo✓$1,257/mo✓
GDP per capita$90,027✓$90,027✓
Work & digital nomad
Digital-nomad visaNoNo
English proficiencyNativeNative
Coworking spaces3540
Time zoneUTC-5UTC-6
Quality of life
Quality of life (overall)6057
Safety index5655
Healthcare index7878
Pollution index4040
Internet speed200 Mbps200 Mbps
Walkability4030
Public transport3530
Family-friendly6664
Tap waterSafe to drinkSafe to drink
Health insurance$450/mo$450/mo
Life expectancy79 yr✓79 yr✓
LGBTQ+ acceptanceHighHigh
Climate
January avg+6 °C+4 °C
July avg+27 °C+27 °C
Sunny days / year218208
Rainfall / year1,100 mm1,200 mm
Connectivity
Flight to nearest hub1 h1.5 h

Taxes & Economy & salaries: United States vs United States. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.

✓ = official statistics (US DOL (federal), World Bank 2025, World Bank 2024). Unmarked figures are CostTrek estimates. How we calculate these figures →

Cost of living: Charlotte vs Nashville — in your currency

CharlotteNashville
1-bed rent, city centre$1,500$1,550
1-bed rent, outside centre$1,200$1,250
Inexpensive meal$16$17
Monthly transit pass$88$88
Utilities (monthly)$165$160

Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).

Good to know before you move to Charlotte

A rising banking hub with mild weather and low costs — spread out and car-dependent.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-5
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
56/100
Climate
❄ 6°C · ☀ 27°C · 218 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
Uptown · NoDa · South End

Good to know before you move to Nashville

Live-music capital with no state income tax and a hot job market — booming, and car-centric.

Currency
US dollar ($ USD)
Languages
English
Time zone
UTC-6
Internet
200 Mbps
English
Native language
Safety
55/100
Climate
❄ 4°C · ☀ 27°C · 208 sunny days/yr
Tap water
Safe to drink
Power
A/B · 120V
Driving
Right-hand side
Popular areas
The Gulch · East Nashville · Germantown

? Frequently asked questions

Moving from Charlotte to Nashville: cheaper or more expensive?

Moving from Charlotte to Nashville, your cost of living will be roughly 0% more expensive. Nashville’s cost-of-living index is 98 versus 97 for Charlotte (US = 100). Use the salary tool above to see the income you’d need to keep the same lifestyle.

Is Charlotte cheaper than Nashville?

Nashville is about 0% more expensive than Charlotte overall — its cost-of-living index is 98 versus 97 for Charlotte.

Which is more expensive, Charlotte or Nashville?

Nashville is more expensive than Charlotte. Its cost-of-living index is 98 vs 97 (US = 100) — about 1% higher.

Is rent cheaper in Charlotte or Nashville?

Rent is cheaper in Charlotte — about $1,500/month for a one-bedroom in the city centre, vs $1,550 in Nashville.

How much do you need to earn in Nashville to live like in Charlotte?

To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Charlotte is worth about $75,247 in Nashville. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.

Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Nashville?

Both cities are in the same country, so national income tax (37%) and VAT are identical; only local cost of living differs.

◷ More comparisons from Charlotte

How we calculate these figures →

Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.