Austin vs Nashville
Austin, TX · Nashville, TN
Nashville is 7% cheaper than Austin overall.
Home Price
Austin: $500,000
Nashville: $445,000
Monthly Rent
Austin: $1,300/mo
Nashville: $1,556/mo
COL Index
Austin: 121
Nashville: 112
Median Income
Austin: $83,800
Nashville: $72,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Austin has the same purchasing power as $92,562 in Nashville — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Nashville cost 11% more (-$55,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Austin saves you $256/month — $3,072 per year. Median rent: $1,300/mo in Austin vs $1,556/mo in Nashville.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Austin owners pay roughly $9,000/year in property taxes vs $3,071/year in Nashville. That's a $5,930 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $83,800 in Austin and $72,200 in Nashville. Nashville residents earn 14% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 27 minutes in Austin vs 27 minutes in Nashville. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Austin to Nashville, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Austin | Equivalent in Nashville | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,281 | -$3,719 |
| $75,000 | $69,421 | -$5,579 |
| $100,000 | $92,562 | -$7,438 |
| $150,000 | $138,843 | -$11,157 |
| $200,000 | $185,124 | -$14,876 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Austin Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Austin vs Nashville: Common Questions
Is Austin or Nashville cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Nashville is cheaper overall. Austin has a COL index of 121 while Nashville scores 112 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Austin and Nashville?
The median home price in Austin is $500,000 vs $445,000 in Nashville — a difference of $55,000 (11%).
What salary do I need in Nashville to match my Austin income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Austin is equivalent to $92,562 in Nashville in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Nashville has a lower property tax rate (0.69% vs 1.8%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,071/year vs $9,000/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.