Is it cheaper to live in Mesa or Nashville?

Mesa, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,460 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $52,000 a year in Mesa versus $53,000 in Nashville.

Which has lower taxes, Mesa or Nashville?

Mesa is taxed under Arizona's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Mesa vs Nashville Cost of Living 2026

Mesa

Arizona

$1,460/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 $1,460 in Mesa, AZ versus $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Mesa, AZ is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,779 in Mesa, AZ and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 5% higher in Mesa, AZ. Arizona has a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Mesa, AZ

Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio

$1,209

$1,341

+11% in Nashville, TN

1 Bedroom

$1,288

$1,336

+4% in Nashville, TN

2 Bedroom

$1,458

$1,478

+1% in Nashville, TN

3 Bedroom

$1,819

$1,832

+1% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$364,300

$383,100

+5% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income

$78,779

$75,197

+5% in Mesa, AZ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,380

$50,390

+2% in Mesa, AZ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.2 yr

34.4 yr

+2.8 yr in Mesa, AZ

Homeownership

64.4%

53.0%

+11.4 pp in Mesa, AZ

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.5%

46.9%

+15.4 pp in Nashville, TN

Avg Commute

25.0 min

24.9 min

+0.1 min in Mesa, AZ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

485.8

1,178.6

+143% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

1,487.8

4,557.6

+206% 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

75.1°F

59.4°F

+15.7°F in Mesa, AZ

Annual Precipitation

8.0 in

47.3 in

+39.2 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.57/gal

$4.35/gal

+22% in Mesa, AZ

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.6

15.1

+3% in Mesa, AZ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$19.69

$15.54

+21% in Mesa, AZ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.37

$4.16

+5% in Mesa, AZ

Bread (lb)

$2.10

$1.73

+18% in Mesa, AZ

Eggs (doz)

$2.25

$2.19

+3% in Mesa, AZ

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.23

$6.56

+9% in Mesa, AZ

Chicken (lb)

$2.14

$1.90

+11% in Mesa, AZ

Bananas (lb)

$0.74

$0.61

+17% in Mesa, AZ

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AZ / TN)

5.6%

+1.4 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

2.50%

None

+2.5 pp in AZ

Mesa vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Mesa or Nashville?: Mesa, AZ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,460 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Mesa than in Nashville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $52,000 a year in Mesa versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Mesa or Nashville?: Mesa is taxed under Arizona's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.50% and a 5.6% 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).