Moving from Atlanta to Nashville
A typical worker keeps $2,301 more a year in Nashville than in Atlanta, after taxes, rent and everyday costs. To keep the same as a typical Atlanta salary of $51,170, you'd need about $47,500 in Nashville.
What your job keeps in each city
Pick a job to compare local pay, or enter one salary to see what the move alone changes.
A typical worker keeps $2,301 more a year in Nashville than in Atlanta.
- Typical salary
- $51,170
- Federal income tax
- −$3,960
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,915
- State income tax
- −$2,033
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$20,556
- Everyday costs
- −$17,743
a year, or $247 a month
- Typical salary
- $50,390
- Federal income tax
- −$3,867
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,855
- State income tax
- $0
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$20,928
- Everyday costs
- −$16,476
a year, or $439 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS metro estimates. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules, single filer.
Change cities or job: compare any two cities or states at three pay levels.
At a glance
A typical worker in each city: where the money goes, pay, costs and price levels. The tables on this page have every figure.
Cost of living side by side
Monthly costs for one person. Green means the move saves money; red means it costs more.
| Atlanta | Nashville | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US = 100)3.7% cheaper | 100.1 | 96.3 |
| Rent, studio$30 more | $1,645 | $1,675 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom$31 more | $1,713 | $1,744 |
| Rent, 2-bedroom$34 more | $1,866 | $1,900 |
| Food$21 less | $496 | $475 |
| Transportation$16 less | $392 | $376 |
| Healthcare$5 less | $340 | $335 |
| Utilities$64 less | $251 | $187 |
| Monthly total, 1-bedroom$75 less | $3,192 | $3,117 |
Salaries
Median pay for the same job in each metro, and how the move changes what you keep: the typical worker and the 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN area. The calculator above has all 40.
| Job | Atlanta | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Typical worker$2,301 more | $51,170 | $50,390 |
| Registered nurse$6,085 less | $100,490 | $84,040 |
| Teacher$6,028 less | $76,469 | $62,448 |
| Electrician$7,084 more | $58,650 | $63,340 |
| Accountant$720 less | $85,820 | $78,080 |
| Software engineer$2,832 more | $132,960 | $126,610 |
| Truck driver$4,568 more | $59,100 | $60,630 |
| Licensed practical nurse$1,142 more | $65,060 | $61,940 |
| Nursing assistant$2,442 more | $39,350 | $39,510 |
| Medical assistant$1,507 more | $46,060 | $44,620 |
| Project manager$6,609 less | $103,400 | $85,990 |
Taxes
Taxes on the same salary, $51,170 (a typical Atlanta wage), in each city. Single filer, 2026.
| Atlanta | Nashville | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income taxNo change | $3,960 | $3,960 |
| Payroll taxesNo change | $3,915 | $3,915 |
| State income tax$2,033 less | $2,033 | $0 |
| Local income taxNo change | $0 | $0 |
| Total$2,033 less | $9,908 | $7,875 |
Living there
Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
| Atlanta | Nashville | |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income$8,075 less | $88,165 | $80,090 |
| Median home value$23,400 less | $462,200 | $438,800 |
| Unemployment rate1.9 pts lower | 5.1% | 3.2% |
| Working from home7.6 pts lower | 25.6% | 18% |
Moving to Nashville
People also compare
Questions people ask
Is it cheaper to live in Nashville than Atlanta?
Yes: prices in the Nashville area are 4% below the US average, against about the same as the US average in the Atlanta area (BEA, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,744 a month in Nashville and $1,713 in Atlanta.
How much more is rent in Nashville?
HUD's FY2027 fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $31 a month (1.8%) higher in Nashville: $1,744 in Nashville against $1,713 in Atlanta.
How much do I need to earn in Nashville to keep the same as in Atlanta?
A typical worker in Atlanta earns $51,170. To keep the same amount after taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, you'd need about $47,500 in Nashville.
Will I pay more tax in Nashville?
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages, and Georgia taxes wages. On a typical Atlanta salary of $51,170, total income and payroll taxes come to $7,875 in Nashville and $9,908 in Atlanta.
Do people keep more money in Nashville or Atlanta?
A typical worker keeps $2,301 more a year in Nashville than in Atlanta: $5,264 in Nashville against $2,963 in Atlanta, after taxes, rent and everyday costs.
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate