Is it cheaper to live in Nashua or Nashville?

Nashville, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Nashua, NH's $1,660, mainly because of electricity costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Nashua versus $53,000 in Nashville.

Which has lower taxes, Nashua or Nashville?

Nashua is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Nashville under Tennessee's (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax).

Nashua vs Nashville Cost of Living 2026

Nashua

New Hampshire

$1,660/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 $1,660 in Nashua, NH versus $1,500 in Nashville, TN. Overall, Nashville, TN is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashua, NH, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $92,457 in Nashua, NH and $75,197 in Nashville, TN — about 19% higher in Nashua, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax.

Nashua, NH

Nashville, TN

Rent

Studio

$1,127

$1,341

+19% in Nashville, TN

1 Bedroom

$1,383

$1,336

+3% in Nashua, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,699

$1,478

+13% in Nashua, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,951

$1,832

+6% in Nashua, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$373,100

$383,100

+3% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income

$92,457

$75,197

+19% in Nashua, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,530

$50,390

+11% in Nashua, NH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.7 yr

34.4 yr

+5.3 yr in Nashua, NH

Homeownership

56.4%

53.0%

+3.4 pp in Nashua, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

46.9%

+6.4 pp in Nashville, TN

Avg Commute

25.3 min

24.9 min

+0.4 min in Nashua, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

164.9

1,178.7

+615% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

1,269

4,558.5

+259% 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

49.2°F

59.4°F

+10.2°F in Nashville, TN

Annual Precipitation

44.6 in

47.3 in

+2.7 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.85/gal

+2% in Nashua, NH

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)

27.0

14.1

+48% in Nashua, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$19.75

+9% in Nashua, NH

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Nashua, NH

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Nashua, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Nashville, TN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Nashua, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Nashua, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Nashua, NH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / TN)

None

+7.0 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

about equal

Nashua vs Nashville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashua or Nashville?: Nashville, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Nashua, NH's $1,660, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashua than in Nashville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Nashua versus $53,000 in Nashville.
Which has lower taxes, Nashua or Nashville?: Nashua is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no 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).