Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Salem?

Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Salem?

Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Nashville vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

Nashville

Tennessee

$1,490/mo est.

Salem

Oregon

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,490 in Nashville, TN versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 4% higher in Nashville, TN. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Nashville, TN

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

$1,341

$1,075

+20% in Nashville, TN

1 Bedroom

$1,336

$989

+26% in Nashville, TN

2 Bedroom

$1,478

$1,337

+10% in Nashville, TN

3 Bedroom

$1,832

$1,778

+3% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$383,100

$382,400

+0% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income

$75,197

$71,900

+4% in Nashville, TN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$50,390

$55,310

+10% in Salem, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.4 yr

35.7 yr

+1.3 yr in Salem, OR

Homeownership

53.0%

55.7%

+2.7 pp in Salem, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

46.9%

31.4%

+15.5 pp in Nashville, TN

Avg Commute

24.9 min

22.4 min

+2.5 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,178.7

540.6

+54% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

4,558.5

2,878.6

+37% 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

53.0°F

+6.4°F in Nashville, TN

Annual Precipitation

47.3 in

39.7 in

+7.6 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.09/gal

+29% in Salem, OR

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.5

16.3

+12% in Salem, OR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$16.83

$20.59

+22% in Salem, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Salem, OR

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Salem, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Nashville, TN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Salem, OR

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Salem, OR

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Salem, OR

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TN / OR)

None

+7.0 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.90%

+9.9 pp in OR

Nashville vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Salem?: Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Nashville, TN's $1,490, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Salem?: Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no 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).