Living Cost Compare
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

vs
Rutland

Vermont

$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 Rutland, VT. Overall, Rutland, VT 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 $55,000 in Rutland, VT — about 27% higher in Nashville, TN. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Vermont has a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,341
$893
+33% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,336
$856
+36% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,097
+26% in Nashville, TN
3 Bedroom
$1,832
$1,207
+34% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$383,100
$176,400
+54% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$75,197
$55,000
+27% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,390

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
48.5 yr
+14.1 yr in Rutland, VT
Homeownership
53.0%
52.7%
+0.3 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
46.9%
32.2%
+14.7 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
24.9 min
14.7 min
+10.2 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,178.7
487.8
+59% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
4,558.5
3,973.3
+13% 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
44.6°F
+14.8°F in Nashville, TN
Annual Precipitation
47.3 in
40.5 in
+6.8 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.94/gal
+2% in Rutland, VT

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
24.4
+74% in Rutland, VT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$19.75
$26.07
+32% in Rutland, VT

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

Groceries

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

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TN / VT)
7%
6%
+1.0 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
8.75%
+8.8 pp in VT

Nashville vs Rutland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Rutland?
Rutland, VT 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 Rutland?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $34,000 in Rutland.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Rutland?
Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Rutland under Vermont's (a top state income tax rate of 8.75% and a 6% 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).