Living Cost Compare
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

vs
Omaha

Nebraska

$1,120/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 $1,120 in Omaha, NE. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $72,708 in Omaha, NE — about 3% higher in Nashville, TN. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,341
$908
+32% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,336
$984
+26% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,193
+19% in Nashville, TN
3 Bedroom
$1,832
$1,437
+22% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$383,100
$230,100
+40% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$75,197
$72,708
+3% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,390
$49,660
+1% in Nashville, TN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
35.3 yr
+0.9 yr in Omaha, NE
Homeownership
53.0%
57.7%
+4.7 pp in Omaha, NE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
46.9%
40.3%
+6.6 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
24.9 min
19.6 min
+5.3 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,178.6
358.6
+70% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
4,557.6
3,153
+31% 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
51.1°F
+8.3°F in Nashville, TN
Annual Precipitation
47.3 in
30.6 in
+16.6 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.35/gal
$4.35/gal
about equal

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$1.25
+38% in Nashville, TN

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
13.1
+13% in Nashville, TN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.54
$12.06
+22% in Nashville, TN

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.14
+1% in Nashville, TN
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.79
+4% in Omaha, NE
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in Omaha, NE
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.97
+6% in Omaha, NE
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.15
+13% in Omaha, NE
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.63
+3% in Omaha, NE

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TN / NE)
7%
5.5%
+1.5 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.55%
+4.5 pp in NE

Nashville vs Omaha — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Omaha?
Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,120 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in Omaha?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $39,000 in Omaha.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Omaha?
Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Omaha under Nebraska's (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).