Living Cost Compare
Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/mo est.

vs
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL. The two are close overall, within a few percent of each other.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 5% higher in Nashville, TN. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,341
$1,242
+7% in Nashville, TN
1 Bedroom
$1,336
$1,324
+1% in Nashville, TN
2 Bedroom
$1,478
$1,673
+13% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,832
$1,729
+6% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$383,100
$375,300
+2% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income
$75,197
$71,302
+5% in Nashville, TN
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$50,390
$48,940
+3% in Nashville, TN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
35.6 yr
+1.2 yr in Tampa, FL
Homeownership
53.0%
50.2%
+2.8 pp in Nashville, TN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
46.9%
44.6%
+2.3 pp in Nashville, TN
Avg Commute
24.9 min
24.7 min
+0.2 min in Nashville, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,178.6
443.4
+62% in Nashville, TN
Property Crime
4,557.6
1,473.2
+68% 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
73.4°F
+14.0°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
47.3 in
46.3 in
+1.0 in in Nashville, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.35/gal
$4.25/gal
+2% in Nashville, TN

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$2.00
about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
14.9
+1% in Nashville, TN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.54
$23.62
+52% in Tampa, FL

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 / FL)
7%
6%
+1.0 pp in TN
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Nashville vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Tampa?
They're close. Nashville, TN runs about $1,500 a month and Tampa, FL about $1,500 (1BR rent + utilities) — within a few percent of each other.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in Tampa?
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 Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Tampa?
Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax 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).