Washington vs Nashville
Washington, DC · Nashville, TN
Nashville is 27% cheaper than Washington overall.
Home Price
Washington: $575,000
Nashville: $445,000
Monthly Rent
Washington: $2,195/mo
Nashville: $1,556/mo
COL Index
Washington: 154
Nashville: 112
Median Income
Washington: $98,700
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 Washington has the same purchasing power as $72,727 in Nashville — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Nashville cost 23% more (-$130,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Nashville saves you $639/month — $7,668 per year. Median rent: $2,195/mo in Washington vs $1,556/mo in Nashville.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Washington owners pay roughly $3,278/year in property taxes vs $3,071/year in Nashville. That's a $207 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $98,700 in Washington and $72,200 in Nashville. Nashville residents earn 27% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 34 minutes in Washington vs 27 minutes in Nashville. Over a year, that's 3500 extra minutes (58 hours) of commuting in Washington.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Washington to Nashville, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Washington | Equivalent in Nashville | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $36,364 | -$13,636 |
| $75,000 | $54,545 | -$20,455 |
| $100,000 | $72,727 | -$27,273 |
| $150,000 | $109,091 | -$40,909 |
| $200,000 | $145,455 | -$54,545 |
* 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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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Washington Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Washington vs Nashville: Common Questions
Is Washington or Nashville cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Nashville is cheaper overall. Washington has a COL index of 154 while Nashville scores 112 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Washington and Nashville?
The median home price in Washington is $575,000 vs $445,000 in Nashville — a difference of $130,000 (23%).
What salary do I need in Nashville to match my Washington income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Washington is equivalent to $72,727 in Nashville in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Washington has a lower property tax rate (0.57% vs 0.69%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $3,071/year vs $3,278/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.