Is it cheaper to live in Jersey City or Nashville?

Nashville, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Jersey City versus $53,000 in Nashville.

Which has lower taxes, Jersey City or Nashville?

Jersey City is taxed under New Jersey's rules (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Jersey City vs Nashville Cost of Living 2026

Jersey City

New Jersey

$2,100/mo est.

Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,100 in Jersey City, NJ versus $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Nashville, TN is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jersey City, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $94,813 in Jersey City, NJ and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 21% higher in Jersey City, NJ. New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Jersey City, NJ

Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio

$1,949

$1,341

+31% in Jersey City, NJ

1 Bedroom

$1,853

$1,336

+28% in Jersey City, NJ

2 Bedroom

$1,857

$1,478

+20% in Jersey City, NJ

3 Bedroom

$2,004

$1,832

+9% in Jersey City, NJ

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$534,500

$383,100

+28% in Jersey City, NJ

Income

Median Household Income

$94,813

$75,197

+21% in Jersey City, NJ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,430

$50,390

+18% in Jersey City, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.7 yr

34.4 yr

+0.3 yr in Jersey City, NJ

Homeownership

28.8%

53.0%

+24.2 pp in Nashville, TN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

53.1%

46.9%

+6.2 pp in Jersey City, NJ

Avg Commute

36.9 min

24.9 min

+12.0 min in Jersey City, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

562.9

1,178.7

+109% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

2,036.4

4,558.5

+124% 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

55.0°F

59.4°F

+4.4°F in Nashville, TN

Annual Precipitation

49.9 in

47.3 in

+2.7 in in Jersey City, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Jersey City, NJ

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)

24.9

14.1

+44% in Jersey City, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.68

$19.75

+12% in Nashville, TN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Jersey City, NJ

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Jersey City, NJ

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Nashville, TN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Jersey City, NJ

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Jersey City, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Jersey City, NJ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NJ / TN)

6.625%

+0.4 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

10.75%

None

+10.8 pp in NJ

Jersey City vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jersey City or Nashville?: Nashville, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jersey City than in Nashville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $74,000 a year in Jersey City versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Jersey City or Nashville?: Jersey City is taxed under New Jersey's rules (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).