✦ Cost of living
Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
US = 100
Metro median gross rent: $1,566/mo · U.S. Census ACS 2023
In plain terms: Nashville is about 2% cheaper than a typical US city. A one-bedroom in the centre runs around $1,550/month.
▤ Category breakdown
Index vs the US average — the line marks 100. Lower is cheaper.
- Housing108+8%
- Food & groceries91−9%
- Transport95−5%
- Utilities89−11%
- Healthcare91−9%
- Goods & services95−5%
Is Nashville expensive?
Not really — Nashville indexes at 98 against a US average of 100, so a month here lands within a few percent of a typical US city. Expect the surprises in individual lines rather than in the total.
Of the 87 cities we track, Nashville ranks #49 by overall cost — 38 of them are cheaper.
What a month in Nashville costs
One person
$3,000/mo
A one-bedroom outside the centre, modest everyday spending.
Couple
$4,120/mo
A one-bedroom in the centre, two adults sharing the bills.
Family of four
$7,130/mo
A three-bedroom in the centre, two adults and two children.
| Monthly line | One person | Couple | Family of four |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,250 | $1,550 | $2,800 |
| Food & groceries | $420 | $610 | $1,020 |
| Transport | $570 | $840 | $1,410 |
| Utilities | $180 | $270 | $450 |
| Healthcare | $250 | $370 | $630 |
| Goods & services | $330 | $480 | $820 |
| Total per month | $3,000 | $4,120 | $7,130 |
Estimates, not quotes. Rent comes from this city's own figures; every other line is a US-average household basket (shaped by the BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey) scaled by this city's category index. Your own total moves with the neighbourhood, your habits and whether you run a car. How we calculate these figures →
Good to know before you move to Nashville
Live-music capital with no state income tax and a hot job market — booming, and car-centric.
- Currency
- US dollar ($ 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
About
“Music City”
Live-music capital with no state income tax and a hot job market — booming, and car-centric.
- Currency
- US dollar · USD
- Languages
- English
- Coordinates
- 36.16, -86.78
- Emergency
- 911
What things cost
Housing
Taxes
37%
Income tax
progressive
0%
VAT / sales
7.65%
Social (employee)
21%
Corporate
20%
Capital gains
$4,300
Avg net salary
per month
Federal; states add 0–13.3% on top.
Visas & residency
Employment-based (H-1B, L-1, O-1) and family routes; famously hard for the green card.
✈ N/A for immigration; ESTA for short visits from VWP countries.
Lottery-based, employer-sponsored.
Max stay: 73 months
For top talent; no lottery.
Citizenship after ~5 yrs. Naturalization after 5 years as LPR (3 if married to citizen).
Quality of life
Quality of life
57/100
Safety
55/100
Healthcare
78/100
Pollution
40/100
Internet
200 Mbps
Jan avg
+4 °C
Jul avg
+27 °C
Sunny days
208/yr
Walkability
30/100
Public transit
30/100
Family-friendly
64/100
Living there
- English spoken
- Native
- Expat community
- Medium
- Coworking spaces
- 40
- Tap water
- Safe to drink
- Private health insurance
- $450/mo
Popular areas
Relocation & documents
Where to look
Updated: · Sources: Cost/quality survey (placeholder) · Economy: World Bank Open Data (GDP per capita, life expectancy, inflation) · Minimum wage (EU + Türkiye): Eurostat earn_mw_cur, 2026-S2 · Taxes: national tax authority / OECD (headline figures)
Can you live in Nashville without a car?
30/100
Car-free score
30/100
Walkability
30/100
Public transport
Not easily — at 30/100, Nashville is built around driving. Plan for a car and its running costs, or expect long trips and a narrow choice of neighbourhoods.
Transport in Nashville indexes at 95 against a US average of 100 — about 5% cheaper than a typical US city. That line covers fares, fuel and running a vehicle, so it is the one that moves most when you drop the car.
Nashville ranks #87 of 87 cities we track for walkability. See the most walkable cities →
The car-free score is our own composite: 60% walkability, 40% public transport, both on a 0–100 scale. Like the rest of our quality-of-life figures, they are calibrated estimates, not official statistics.
Cost of living in Nashville — in your currency
- 1-bed rent, city centre$1,550
- 1-bed rent, outside centre$1,250
- Inexpensive meal$17
- Monthly transit pass$88
- Utilities (monthly)$160
Converted from USD at approximate rates (2026-09).
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? Frequently asked questions
Is Nashville, TN expensive to live in?
Nashville, TN's cost-of-living index is 98 (US average = 100) — about 2% cheaper than a typical US city — and it ranks #49 of the 87 cities we track. On our estimates one person needs around $3,000 a month and a family of four around $7,130, rent included.
How much does it cost to live in Nashville, TN?
Nashville, TN's cost-of-living index is 98 (US average = 100) — about 2% cheaper than a typical US city. A one-bedroom apartment in the centre costs around $1,550 per month.
What are the average living costs in Nashville, TN?
Living costs in Nashville, TN are about 2% cheaper than the US average — its cost-of-living index is 98 (US = 100). Monthly living expenses scale with that, and housing is the biggest line: a one-bedroom in the centre runs around $1,550. See the category breakdown above for where the money goes.
What is the average rent in Nashville, TN?
A one-bedroom in the city centre averages about $1,550 per month, and around $1,250 outside the centre.
What taxes would I pay in United States?
United States has a top income-tax rate of 37% and a VAT or sales tax of 0%. See the taxes section above for the full breakdown.
What is the weather like in Nashville, TN?
Nashville, TN averages around +4 °C in January and +27 °C in July, with roughly 208 sunny days a year.
Is Nashville, TN safe?
Nashville, TN scores 55 out of 100 on our safety index, where higher means safer.
Can you live in Nashville, TN without a car?
Nashville, TN scores 30/100 on our car-free score — 30/100 for walkability and 30/100 for public transport. The higher the score, the more of daily life you can cover on foot or by transit instead of paying to run a car.
❖ Compare Nashville with…
Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.