Living Cost Compare
Colorado Springs

Colorado

$1,470/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 $1,470 in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Colorado Springs, CO is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,198 in Colorado Springs, CO and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 10% higher in Colorado Springs, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Colorado Springs, CO
Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio
$998
$1,341
+34% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,305
$1,336
+2% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,504
$1,478
+2% in Colorado Springs, CO
3 Bedroom
$1,881
$1,832
+3% in Colorado Springs, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$420,700
$383,100
+9% in Colorado Springs, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$83,198
$75,197
+10% in Colorado Springs, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$52,710
$50,390
+4% in Colorado Springs, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.6 yr
34.4 yr
+1.2 yr in Colorado Springs, CO
Homeownership
61.3%
53.0%
+8.3 pp in Colorado Springs, CO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
41.9%
46.9%
+5.0 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
22.8 min
24.9 min
+2.1 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
721.1
1,178.6
+63% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
3,487.9
4,557.6
+31% 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
49.0°F
59.4°F
+10.4°F in Nashville, TN
Annual Precipitation
16.5 in
47.3 in
+30.7 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.54/gal
$4.35/gal
+4% in Colorado Springs, CO

Area: Colorado vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
$2.00
+14% in Nashville, TN

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.7
15.1
+10% in Colorado Springs, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.64
$15.54
+34% in Nashville, TN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.16
+5% in Colorado Springs, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.73
+18% in Colorado Springs, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.19
+3% in Colorado Springs, CO
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.56
+9% in Colorado Springs, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$1.90
+11% in Colorado Springs, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.61
+17% in Colorado Springs, CO

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / TN)
2.9%
7%
+4.1 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
None
+4.4 pp in CO

Colorado Springs vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Colorado Springs or Nashville?
Colorado Springs, CO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,470 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Colorado Springs than in Nashville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $52,000 a year in Colorado Springs versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Colorado Springs or Nashville?
Colorado Springs is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% 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).