Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Raleigh?

Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,490 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Raleigh?

Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax).

Nashville vs Raleigh Cost of Living 2026

Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,490/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 $1,490 in Raleigh, NC. Overall, Raleigh, NC is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $82,424 in Raleigh, NC — about 9% higher in Raleigh, NC. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax.

Nashville, TN

Raleigh, NC

Rent

Studio

$1,341

$1,301

+3% in Nashville, TN

1 Bedroom

$1,336

$1,323

+1% in Nashville, TN

2 Bedroom

$1,478

$1,462

+1% in Nashville, TN

3 Bedroom

$1,832

$1,715

+6% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$383,100

$377,800

+1% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income

$75,197

$82,424

+10% in Raleigh, NC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$50,390

$51,990

+3% in Raleigh, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.4 yr

34.7 yr

+0.3 yr in Raleigh, NC

Homeownership

53.0%

51.2%

+1.8 pp in Nashville, TN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

46.9%

52.9%

+6.0 pp in Raleigh, NC

Avg Commute

24.9 min

23.4 min

+1.5 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,178.6

491.5

+58% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

4,557.6

2,838

+38% 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

60.6°F

+1.2°F in Raleigh, NC

Annual Precipitation

47.3 in

46.0 in

+1.2 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.35/gal

$4.30/gal

+1% in Nashville, TN

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

$1.25

+38% in Nashville, TN

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

16.0

+6% in Raleigh, NC

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.54

$17.50

+13% in Raleigh, NC

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.16

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.73

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.56

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.61

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TN / NC)

4.75%

+2.3 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.99%

+4.0 pp in NC

Nashville vs Raleigh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Raleigh?: Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,490 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in Raleigh?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $53,000 in Raleigh.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Raleigh?: Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Raleigh under North Carolina's (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).