Tennessee

Tennessee is about 8% cheaper than the national average. Across the 14 cities we track, the cost of living index averages 92, where 100 is the US average.

Typical rent in Tennessee averages $1,496 a month across the 14 cities we track as of September 2026, 23% below the national typical rent of $1,932. That ranks near the middle of 51 states. The figure is the Zillow Observed Rent Index for all home types.

Of the 14 cities we track in Tennessee, Memphis has the lowest cost of living index at 82. The lowest typical rent is in Greeneville, at $1,271 a month.

Nashville has the highest cost of living index of the cities we track in Tennessee, at 100. The highest typical rent is in Nashville, at $1,803 a month.

Regular unleaded averages $3.57 a gallon in Tennessee as of November 11, 2026 (AAA state average), 10% below the national average of $3.98. That is the 7th cheapest of 51 states.

Rent in Tennessee rose an average of 2.5% over the past year across the 14 cities we track, compared with a 2.7% change nationally.

Residential electricity in Tennessee averages 13.4 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill is about $121.

Full coverage car insurance in Tennessee averages $2,080 a year, or about $173 a month (Bankrate and NAIC), compared with $2,150 a year nationally. That is near the middle of 51 states.