Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,490/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,490 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 11% higher in Nashville, TN. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$1,341
+19% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$1,336
+17% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,478
+7% in Nashville, TN
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,832
+19% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$383,100
+44% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$75,197
+12% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$50,390
+3% in Nashville, TN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
34.4 yr
+2.0 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
57.4%
53.0%
+4.4 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
46.9%
+15.1 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
24.1 min
24.9 min
+0.8 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
1,178.7
+111% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
2,600.1
4,558.5
+75% 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
70.2°F
59.4°F
+10.8°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
47.3 in
+1.9 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.77/gal
$3.94/gal
+5% in Nashville, TN

Area: Florida vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

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

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
14.5
+5% in Jacksonville, FL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$16.83
+29% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / TN)
6%
7%
+1.0 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Jacksonville vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Nashville?
Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Nashville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Nashville?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% 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).