St. Louis vs Nashville
St. Louis, MO · Nashville, TN
St. Louis is 30% cheaper than Nashville overall.
Home Price
St.: $205,000
Nashville: $445,000
Monthly Rent
St.: $900/mo
Nashville: $1,556/mo
COL Index
St.: 86
Nashville: 112
Median Income
St.: $61,400
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 St. Louis has the same purchasing power as $130,233 in Nashville — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Nashville are 117% cheaper (-$240,000 less). That's a significant down payment and monthly payment difference.
Renting
Renting in St. Louis saves you $656/month — $7,872 per year. Median rent: $900/mo in St. Louis vs $1,556/mo in Nashville.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, St. Louis owners pay roughly $2,050/year in property taxes vs $3,071/year in Nashville. That's a $1,021 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $61,400 in St. Louis and $72,200 in Nashville. St. Louis residents earn 18% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 24 minutes in St. Louis vs 27 minutes in Nashville. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from St. Louis to Nashville, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in St. Louis | Equivalent in Nashville | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $65,116 | +$15,116 |
| $75,000 | $97,674 | +$22,674 |
| $100,000 | $130,233 | +$30,233 |
| $150,000 | $195,349 | +$45,349 |
| $200,000 | $260,465 | +$60,465 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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St. Louis Calculators
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Related Comparisons
St. Louis vs Nashville: Common Questions
Is St. Louis or Nashville cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, St. Louis is cheaper overall. St. Louis has a COL index of 86 while Nashville scores 112 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between St. Louis and Nashville?
The median home price in St. Louis is $205,000 vs $445,000 in Nashville — a difference of $240,000 (117%).
What salary do I need in Nashville to match my St. Louis income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in St. Louis is equivalent to $130,233 in Nashville in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Nashville has a lower property tax rate (0.69% vs 1%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,050/year vs $3,071/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.