Johnson City, Tennessee
Living in Johnson City, Tennessee is about 7% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 93 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,488 a month, 23% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.57 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 46% of the area's $62,166 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.57
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,488
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.29
Combo meal
Electricity
13.42¢
per kWh · ~$121/mo
Car Insurance
$139/mo
$1,662/yr
Median Household Income
$62,166
46% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,662 in Johnson City. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,488/mo in Johnson City. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
$1.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$3.59 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.29 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$4.44 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$4.89 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$5.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.67 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$3.59 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$3.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
$3.79 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
$6.79 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
$5.00 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
$4.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$3.59 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.29 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$4.44 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$4.89 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$5.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.67 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$3.59 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$3.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$3.79 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$6.79 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$4.99 @ Kroger - Sunset (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.29
Casual Dining
$24.63
Monthly Spend
$437.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Johnson City?
Average 1BR: $1,220/mo · 2BR: $1,756/mo
Johnson City Cost of Living FAQ
Is Johnson City, TN expensive to live in?
Johnson City has a cost of living index of 93, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 7% cheaper than average. It is the 7th most expensive of the 14 Tennessee cities we track.
What is the average rent in Johnson City, TN?
Typical rent in Johnson City is $1,488 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 23% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,220 and two bedrooms about $1,756. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Johnson City?
Rent in Johnson City rose 2.8% over the past year, about in line with the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Johnson City?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.57 a gallon in Johnson City as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Tennessee. That is 10% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Johnson City?
Homes in Tennessee pay an average of 13.4 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Johnson City is about $121.
How much is car insurance in Johnson City?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,662 a year in Tennessee, or about $139 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Johnson City?
Median household income in the Johnson City area is $62,166 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $28,614 a year, or 46% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,502 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Johnson City compare with the rest of Tennessee?
Rent in Johnson City is about the same as the $1,496 average across the 14 Tennessee cities we track, and its cost of living index of 93 compares with a state average of 92.
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