Living Cost Compare
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

vs
San Francisco

California

$2,750/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 $2,750 in San Francisco, CA. Overall, Nashville, TN is roughly 45% cheaper to live in day-to-day than San Francisco, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $141,446 in San Francisco, CA — about 47% higher in San Francisco, CA. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Nashville, TN
San Francisco, CA

Rent

Studio
$1,341
$1,560
+16% in San Francisco, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,336
$2,425
+82% in San Francisco, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,478
$2,982
+102% in San Francisco, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,832
$3,269
+78% in San Francisco, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$383,100
$1,380,500
+260% in San Francisco, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$75,197
$141,446
+88% in San Francisco, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,390
$74,260
+47% in San Francisco, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
39.7 yr
+5.3 yr in San Francisco, CA
Homeownership
53.0%
38.5%
+14.5 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
46.9%
60.1%
+13.2 pp in San Francisco, CA
Avg Commute
24.9 min
31.2 min
+6.3 min in San Francisco, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,178.6
596.5
+49% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
4,557.6
3,962.2
+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
57.3°F
+2.1°F in Nashville, TN
Annual Precipitation
47.3 in
23.6 in
+23.6 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.35/gal
$6.05/gal
+39% in San Francisco, CA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs San Francisco.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$2.50
+25% in San Francisco, CA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
33.4
+121% in San Francisco, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.54
$20.72
+33% in San Francisco, CA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.37
+5% in San Francisco, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$2.10
+21% in San Francisco, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.25
+3% in San Francisco, CA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$7.23
+10% in San Francisco, CA
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.14
+12% in San Francisco, CA
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.74
+21% in San Francisco, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TN / CA)
7%
7.25%
+0.3 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Nashville vs San Francisco — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or San Francisco?
Nashville, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 45% below San Francisco, CA's $2,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in San Francisco?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $97,000 in San Francisco.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or San Francisco?
Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); San Francisco under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).