Cost of living in Nashville: rent, homes and salary
In 2024, the regional price parity (RPP) that BEA reports for the Nashville, TN metro area was 96.3, with the US at 100, while housing alone was 104.6. That puts the cost of living in Nashville 3.7% below the US average.
- Level of prices
- 96.3US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 104.6 for rents, with US = 100.
Cost of living index for Nashville
The US average is set at 100. A regional price parity compares one place with it, using a basket of the same goods and services. BEA prices one whole metro area, which includes Nashville: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN. Utilities sit furthest from the US average at 72.0, or 28.0% under the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Nashville, TN metro | Tennessee | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 96.3 | 91.9 | −3.7% |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.2 | −3.8% |
| Housing (rents) | 104.6 | 79.1 | +4.6% |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 72.1 | −28.0% |
| Other services | 95.1 | 95.1 | −4.9% |
By metro area and state, regional price parities, 2024, from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. BEA regional price parities
Rents in Nashville
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) puts the typical asking rent in Nashville at $1,820 a month for homes listed now, up +0.9% on a year. In the US, that figure is $1,932. Census puts median gross rent at $1,669, a figure that covers every renting household rather than new leases only. Twelve months of asking rent equal 27% of median household income.
| Rent | Nashville | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,820 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +0.9% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,669 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income, one year of asking rent | 27% | 28% |
Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index, and one-year estimates from Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024.
Nashville home prices
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) put a typical home in Nashville at $425,889. It measures what a typical home is worth at the middle of the market. The change over a year is −2.5%, and the US figure is $366,157. That equals 5.3 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 years in the US.
| Home prices | Nashville | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $425,889 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −2.5% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +78.7% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 5.3 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 19.5 | 15.8 |
A price chart covering the years since 2000, a forecast, and the days on market: Nashville housing market data.
Salary needed for living in Nashville
In Nashville, the salary that buys what your pay buys now depends on two answers: the place you live in, and what you earn.
- Moving away from
- Salary
The method, plus each city side by side: cost of living by city.
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Nashville cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Typical rent figure | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville | 96.3 | 104.6 | $1,820 | $425,889 |
| Memphis | 92.2 | 79.8 | $1,259 | $151,794 |
| Chattanooga | 91.5 | 76.5 | $1,498 | $314,999 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities 2024, with US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home value from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living by city. Each state: cost of living by state.