Living Cost Compare
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

vs
San Antonio

Texas

$1,270/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 $1,270 in San Antonio, TX. Overall, San Antonio, TX is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $62,917 in San Antonio, TX — about 16% higher in Nashville, TN. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Nashville, TN
San Antonio, TX

Rent

Studio
$1,341
$1,052
+22% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,336
$1,084
+19% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,327
+10% in Nashville, TN
3 Bedroom
$1,832
$1,545
+16% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$383,100
$219,700
+43% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$75,197
$62,917
+16% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,390
$47,010
+7% in Nashville, TN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
34.6 yr
+0.2 yr in San Antonio, TX
Homeownership
53.0%
52.4%
+0.6 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
46.9%
28.7%
+18.2 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
24.9 min
24.6 min
+0.3 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,178.6
605
+49% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
4,557.6
4,665
+2% in San Antonio, TX

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
68.5°F
+9.1°F in San Antonio, TX
Annual Precipitation
47.3 in
34.9 in
+12.4 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.35/gal
$3.96/gal
+9% in Nashville, TN

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$1.30
+35% in Nashville, TN

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
16.4
+9% in San Antonio, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.54
$24.61
+58% in San Antonio, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TN / TX)
7%
6.25%
+0.8 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Nashville vs San Antonio — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or San Antonio?
San Antonio, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,270 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in San Antonio?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $43,000 in San Antonio.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or San Antonio?
Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); San Antonio under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).