Is it cheaper to live in Bridgeport or Nashville?

Bridgeport, CT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,460 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Bridgeport versus $53,000 in Nashville.

Which has lower taxes, Bridgeport or Nashville?

Bridgeport is taxed under Connecticut's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Bridgeport vs Nashville Cost of Living 2026

Bridgeport

Connecticut

$1,460/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 $1,460 in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,490 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Bridgeport, CT is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $56,584 in Bridgeport, CT and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 25% higher in Nashville, TN. Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Bridgeport, CT

Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio

$950

$1,341

+41% in Nashville, TN

1 Bedroom

$1,181

$1,336

+13% in Nashville, TN

2 Bedroom

$1,508

$1,478

+2% in Bridgeport, CT

3 Bedroom

$1,639

$1,832

+12% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$252,400

$383,100

+52% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income

$56,584

$75,197

+33% in Nashville, TN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,470

$50,390

+18% in Bridgeport, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.4 yr

34.4 yr

+2.0 yr in Bridgeport, CT

Homeownership

43.3%

53.0%

+9.7 pp in Nashville, TN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

23.1%

46.9%

+23.8 pp in Nashville, TN

Avg Commute

29.9 min

24.9 min

+5.0 min in Bridgeport, CT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

401.7

1,178.7

+193% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

1,478.4

4,558.5

+208% 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

52.5°F

59.4°F

+6.9°F in Nashville, TN

Annual Precipitation

42.7 in

47.3 in

+4.5 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$3.94/gal

+2% in Nashville, TN

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) 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)

27.4

14.5

+47% in Bridgeport, CT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$23.33

$16.83

+28% in Bridgeport, CT

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Bridgeport, CT

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Bridgeport, CT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Nashville, TN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Bridgeport, CT

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Bridgeport, CT

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Bridgeport, CT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CT / TN)

6.35%

+0.7 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

6.99%

None

+7.0 pp in CT

Bridgeport vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bridgeport or Nashville?: Bridgeport, CT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,460 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bridgeport than in Nashville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Bridgeport versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Bridgeport or Nashville?: Bridgeport is taxed under Connecticut's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% 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).