Moving from Memphis to Nashville
Your paycheck buys slightly less in Nashville than in Memphis (-4.3%); you'd need about $73,700 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Nashville: $73,700
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $73,700 in Nashville, TN to match $70,000 in Memphis, TN ($3,700 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in Tennessee, which has no state income tax on wages; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Memphis vs Nashville: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,330 → $1,627/mo
- Median home value
- $282,900 → $449,300
- Median household income
- $68,124 → $88,800
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 92.2 → 96.3
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (92.9 → 84.9 of 100)
Memphis vs Nashville cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Memphis, TN | Nashville, TN |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 92.2 | 96.3 |
| Median rent | $1,330 | $1,627 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $53,200 | $65,080 |
| Median home value | $282,900 | $449,300 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $1,773 | $2,674 |
| Income needed to buy | $75,991 | $114,620 |
| Median property tax | $1,898 | $2,140 |
| State income tax on $70,000 | $0 | $0 |
| Metro population | 1,337,653 | 2,151,715 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Memphis vs Nashville
On a $70,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $41,140 a year in Memphis and $44,704 in Nashville if you rent: $3,564 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $46,457 and $57,274 ($10,817 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | MemphisBefore | NashvilleAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $70,000, single filer | $11,925 | $11,925 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,720 | $1,720 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,050 | $1,050 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,953 | $1,953 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $8,532 | $8,532 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $15,960 | $19,524 | +$3,564 |
| Total if you rent | $41,140 | $44,704 | +$3,564 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $17,977 | $28,552 | +$10,575 |
| Property tax median home | $1,898 | $2,140 | +$242 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,402 | $1,402 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $46,457 | $57,274 | +$10,817 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $13,126 a year in Memphis and $13,126 in Nashville (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Memphis to Nashville
About 1,171 households (1,904 people) moved from the Memphis metro area to the Nashville metro area in 2022–2023, making Nashville the #1 destination for people leaving Memphis among the 149 metro areas we cover. 688 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $75,930.
Cost to move from Memphis to Nashville
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $320–$690 |
| Moving container | $1,110–$2,090 |
| Full-service movers | $1,850–$5,050 |
Natural hazard risk: Memphis vs Nashville
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Memphis area among the highest (score 92.9) and the Nashville area among the highest (score 84.9), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $584 vs $393 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Nashville cheaper than Memphis?
Overall prices in the Nashville area are 4.4% higher than in Memphis (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,627 vs $1,330 a month, and the median home is $449,300 vs $282,900.
What salary do I need in Nashville to match $100,000 in Memphis?
About $105,000, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in Tennessee, which has no state income tax on wages.
How much does it cost to move from Memphis to Nashville?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 230 miles: roughly $320–$690 with a rental truck, $1,110–$2,090 with a container, or $1,850–$5,050 with full-service movers.
How many people move from Memphis to Nashville?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,171 households (1,904 people) moved from the Memphis metro area to the Nashville metro area, and 688 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Memphis move
- Dallas 995 households
- Atlanta 502 households
- Houston 455 households
- Chicago 305 households
- Little Rock 257 households
- Knoxville 228 households
- Los Angeles 186 households
- Tampa 180 households