Living Cost Compare
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

vs
New Haven

Connecticut

$1,530/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,500 in Nashville, TN versus $1,530 in New Haven, CT. Overall, Nashville, TN is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New Haven, CT, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $53,771 in New Haven, CT — about 28% higher in Nashville, TN. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,341
$1,159
+14% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,336
$1,275
+5% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,473
+0% in Nashville, TN
3 Bedroom
$1,832
$1,636
+11% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$383,100
$249,000
+35% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$75,197
$53,771
+28% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,390
$60,060
+19% in New Haven, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
31.9 yr
+2.5 yr in Nashville, TN
Homeownership
53.0%
28.4%
+24.6 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
46.9%
37.7%
+9.2 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
24.9 min
21.0 min
+3.9 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,178.7
536.3
+55% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
4,558.5
3,601.6
+21% 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
59.4°F
52.2°F
+7.2°F in Nashville, TN
Annual Precipitation
47.3 in
47.1 in
+0.1 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in New Haven, CT

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.1
24.3
+73% in New Haven, CT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$19.75
$23.33
+18% in New Haven, CT

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in New Haven, CT
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in New Haven, CT
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Nashville, TN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in New Haven, CT
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in New Haven, CT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in New Haven, CT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TN / CT)
7%
6.35%
+0.7 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.99%
+7.0 pp in CT

Nashville vs New Haven — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or New Haven?
Nashville, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below New Haven, CT's $1,530, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in New Haven?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $51,000 in New Haven.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or New Haven?
Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); New Haven under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% 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).