Is it cheaper to live in Laramie or Nashville?

Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Laramie versus $53,000 in Nashville.

Which has lower taxes, Laramie or Nashville?

Laramie is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Laramie vs Nashville Cost of Living 2026

Laramie

Wyoming

$890/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 $890 in Laramie, WY versus $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Laramie, WY is roughly 41% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,414 in Laramie, WY and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 30% higher in Nashville, TN. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Laramie, WY

Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio

$667

$1,341

+101% in Nashville, TN

1 Bedroom

$728

$1,336

+84% in Nashville, TN

2 Bedroom

$883

$1,478

+67% in Nashville, TN

3 Bedroom

$1,423

$1,832

+29% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$302,200

$383,100

+27% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income

$52,414

$75,197

+43% in Nashville, TN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$50,390

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

26.9 yr

34.4 yr

+7.5 yr in Nashville, TN

Homeownership

44.1%

53.0%

+8.9 pp in Nashville, TN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.8%

46.9%

+8.9 pp in Laramie, WY

Avg Commute

13.5 min

24.9 min

+11.4 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

129.6

1,178.7

+809% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

1,175.9

4,558.5

+288% 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

41.0°F

59.4°F

+18.4°F in Nashville, TN

Annual Precipitation

10.9 in

47.3 in

+36.3 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.85/gal

+10% in Laramie, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) 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)

15.2

14.1

+8% in Laramie, WY

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$19.75

+8% in Nashville, TN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Laramie, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Laramie, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Nashville, TN

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Laramie, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Laramie, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Laramie, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / TN)

+3.0 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Laramie vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Laramie or Nashville?: Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Laramie than in Nashville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $29,000 a year in Laramie versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Laramie or Nashville?: Laramie is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% 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).