Nashville, Tennessee
Living in Nashville, Tennessee is close to the national average, with a cost of living index of 100 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,803 a month, 7% 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 43% of the area's $75,664 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.57
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,803
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$12.50
Combo meal
Electricity
13.42¢
per kWh · ~$121/mo
Car Insurance
$173/mo
$2,080/yr
Median Household Income
$75,664
43.4% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,080 in Nashville. Compare rates:
📸 Help make this data more accurate
Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Nashville residents actually pay.
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,803/mo in Nashville. 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
$2.19 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$3.69 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.99 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.79 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$4.89 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$5.72 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$4.00 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.67 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$4.72 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$9.19 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.11 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$3.79 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.01 estimate
$3.99 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.79 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
$3.49 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.95 estimate
$3.79 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.90 estimate
$5.99 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.08 estimate
$5.00 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.60 estimate
$4.99 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$2.19 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$3.69 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.99 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.79 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$3.49 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$4.89 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$5.72 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$4.00 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.67 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$4.72 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$9.19 @ Kroger - Monroe (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 | — | — | — | — | — | $3.65 | $5.11 | +40.0% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$3.79 @ Kroger - Monroe (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 - Monroe (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.41 | $5.01 | +13.6% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.79 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head)$3.49 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$3.79 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.55 | $7.95 | +43.2% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$5.99 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.24 | $4.90 | +15.6% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.70 | $6.08 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$4.99 @ Kroger - Monroe (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.08 | $8.60 | +41.4% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$12.50
Casual Dining
$21.00
Monthly Spend
$321.32
+5.2% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $6.99
$11.27
+61.2%Wendy's
2022: $7.89
$12.17
+54.2%Chipotle
2022: $8.45
$12.62
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $3.80
$5.28
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Nashville?
Average 1BR: $1,478/mo · 2BR: $2,128/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
555k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,598
$83k/yr
Top Sector
Education & Health Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$76k
household median
Employment by Sector — Nashville
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$86k/yr
~$97k/yr
~$68k/yr
~$58k/yr
~$128k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 47037
Highest Paying Sector
Financial Activities
$2,460/wk · $128k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Other Services
$1,022/wk · $53k/yr
Nashville Cost of Living FAQ
Is Nashville, TN expensive to live in?
Nashville has a cost of living index of 100, where 100 is the US average, so it is close to average. It is the most expensive of the 14 Tennessee cities we track.
What is the average rent in Nashville, TN?
Typical rent in Nashville is $1,803 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 7% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,478 and two bedrooms about $2,128. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Nashville?
Rent in Nashville rose 1.2% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Nashville?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.57 a gallon in Nashville 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 Nashville?
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 Nashville is about $121.
How much is car insurance in Nashville?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,080 a year in Tennessee, or about $173 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Nashville?
Median household income in the Nashville area is $75,664 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $32,812 a year, or 43% 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 Nashville compare with the rest of Tennessee?
Rent in Nashville is 21% above the $1,496 average across the 14 Tennessee cities we track, and its cost of living index of 100 compares with a state average of 92.
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