Living Cost Compare
Charlotte

North Carolina

$1,550/mo est.

vs
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,550 in Charlotte, NC versus $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Nashville, TN is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charlotte, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,438 in Charlotte, NC and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 4% higher in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Charlotte, NC
Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio
$1,424
$1,341
+6% in Charlotte, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,374
$1,336
+3% in Charlotte, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,491
$1,478
+1% in Charlotte, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,663
$1,832
+10% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$351,500
$383,100
+9% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$78,438
$75,197
+4% in Charlotte, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$50,390
+1% in Nashville, TN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
34.4 yr
about equal
Homeownership
51.5%
53.0%
+1.5 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
47.4%
46.9%
+0.5 pp in Charlotte, NC
Avg Commute
25.0 min
24.9 min
+0.1 min in Charlotte, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
733.1
1,178.6
+61% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
3,719
4,557.6
+23% 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
59.9°F
59.4°F
+0.5°F in Charlotte, NC
Annual Precipitation
41.6 in
47.3 in
+5.6 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.30/gal
$4.35/gal
+1% in Nashville, TN

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.20
$2.00
+9% in Charlotte, NC

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.0
15.1
+6% in Charlotte, NC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.50
$15.54
+11% in Charlotte, NC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NC / TN)
4.75%
7%
+2.3 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
3.99%
None
+4.0 pp in NC

Charlotte vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or Nashville?
Nashville, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Charlotte, NC's $1,550, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in Nashville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Nashville?
Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).