Is it cheaper to live in Billings or Nashville?

Billings, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Billings than in Nashville?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Billings versus $53,000 in Nashville.

Which has lower taxes, Billings or Nashville?

Billings is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Billings vs Nashville Cost of Living 2026

Billings

Montana

$1,030/mo est.

Nashville

Tennessee

$1,490/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,030 in Billings, MT versus $1,490 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Billings, MT is roughly 31% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $71,855 in Billings, MT and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 4% higher in Nashville, TN. Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Billings, MT

Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio

$877

$1,341

+53% in Nashville, TN

1 Bedroom

$889

$1,336

+50% in Nashville, TN

2 Bedroom

$1,102

$1,478

+34% in Nashville, TN

3 Bedroom

$1,398

$1,832

+31% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$311,800

$383,100

+23% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income

$71,855

$75,197

+5% in Nashville, TN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$49,060

$50,390

+3% in Nashville, TN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.1 yr

34.4 yr

+3.7 yr in Billings, MT

Homeownership

64.8%

53.0%

+11.8 pp in Billings, MT

Bachelor's+ (25+)

37.0%

46.9%

+9.9 pp in Nashville, TN

Avg Commute

16.7 min

24.9 min

+8.2 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

750.2

1,178.7

+57% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

3,123.5

4,558.5

+46% in Nashville, TN

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

48.2°F

59.4°F

+11.2°F in Nashville, TN

Annual Precipitation

13.7 in

47.3 in

+33.6 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.29/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Billings, MT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs WeGo Public Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.7

14.5

+1% in Billings, MT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$8.77

$16.83

+92% in Nashville, TN

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Billings, MT

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Billings, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Nashville, TN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Billings, MT

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Billings, MT

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Billings, MT

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MT / TN)

None

+7.0 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

5.65%

None

+5.7 pp in MT

Billings vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Billings or Nashville?: Billings, MT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 31% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Billings than in Nashville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Billings versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Billings or Nashville?: Billings is taxed under Montana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).