CITY COMPARISON
Los Angeles vs Nashville Cost of Living: Which Is Cheaper in 2026?
Data updated May 2026. Rent from Zillow ZORI, taxes from the Tax Foundation, cost-of-living index from BEA.
Los Angeles to Nashville picked up speed once the entertainment industry started decentralizing. Music has always been in Nashville, and film and tech have been building.
California's top income tax bracket is among the highest in the country. Tennessee has no income tax on wages. Nashville rent runs well below LA's, with a high sales tax as the counterweight.
Is Los Angeles or Nashville cheaper to live in?
At a $100,000 salary, moving from Los Angeles to Nashville frees up roughly $28,500 a year in disposable income. At $150,000 the gap widens to about $33,200 a year in Nashville's favor.
Nashville wins for most earners. Zero state income tax beats California's top bracket by thousands, and rent is much lower. Tennessee's high sales tax claws back part of the win, but the net is clearly positive.
DISPOSABLE INCOME: MOVING LOS ANGELES → NASHVILLE
AT A $100,000 SALARY
in Nashville's favor
AT A $150,000 SALARY
in Nashville's favor
Assumes the same gross salary in both cities (the remote-work case) and a single filer renting at the local median. Positive means Nashville leaves more money after tax, housing, and everyday costs.
Full cost breakdown: Los Angeles vs Nashville
Here is where every dollar goes in each city, at two salary levels. Taxes, housing, and everyday costs are all in.
AT A $100,000 SALARY
| Line item | Los Angeles | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $100,000 | $100,000 |
| Federal income tax | -$15,000 | -$15,000 |
| State income tax (9.3%) Nashville: (0%) | -$9,300 | -$0 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | -$7,650 | -$7,650 |
| Housing (median rent) ($2,260/mo) Nashville: ($1,390/mo) | -$27,120 | -$16,680 |
| Other living costs (COL index 161) Nashville: (COL index 105) | -$39,150 | -$30,750 |
| Sales tax on spending (8.85%) Nashville: (9.55%) | -$2,425 | -$2,056 |
| Disposable income / year | -$645 | $27,864 |
AT A $150,000 SALARY
| Line item | Los Angeles | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | $150,000 | $150,000 |
| Federal income tax | -$27,000 | -$27,000 |
| State income tax (9.3%) Nashville: (0%) | -$13,950 | -$0 |
| FICA (Social Security + Medicare) | -$11,475 | -$11,475 |
| Housing (median rent) ($2,260/mo) Nashville: ($1,390/mo) | -$27,120 | -$16,680 |
| Other living costs (COL index 161) Nashville: (COL index 105) | -$39,150 | -$30,750 |
| Sales tax on spending (8.85%) Nashville: (9.55%) | -$2,425 | -$2,056 |
| Disposable income / year | $28,880 | $62,039 |
Los Angeles vs Nashville: taxes, rent, and schools at a glance
| Metric | Los Angeles | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax | 9.3% | None |
| Median 1-bedroom rent | $2,260/mo | $1,390/mo |
| Combined sales tax | 8.85% | 9.55% |
| Cost-of-living index (US avg = 100) | 161 | 105 |
| School composite rating (1-10) | 6/10 | 6/10 |
Who should pick Los Angeles?
Stay in Los Angeles if your work in film or tech is built around physical presence there. The California tax bill is real, so the role has to be specific.
Who should pick Nashville?
Pick Nashville if your industry has a foothold there or your job is remote. A no-income-tax raise, lower rent, and a growing creative scene make it a real LA alternative.
How we calculated this
Disposable income is gross salary minus federal income tax, state income tax, FICA, housing, everyday non-housing costs, and sales tax on discretionary spending. Federal tax uses 2026 effective rates after the standard deduction for a single filer. State income tax is a single-bracket approximation for mid-six-figure earners. Housing is the median 1-bedroom rent. Non-housing costs scale with the BEA cost-of-living index. Sales tax is applied to roughly 70 percent of discretionary spending, since groceries and many services are reduced-rate or exempt in most states.
The numbers on this page assume the same gross salary in both cities. That is the remote-work scenario, and it is the cleanest way to isolate the cost-of-living difference. If a new job would rebase your salary by city, plug both real offers into the tool below.
Run your own Los Angeles vs Nashville numbers
The interactive Move-To-City tool lets you set different salaries for each city, enter your actual rent, switch filing status, and see the full FIRE-timeline impact of the move.
Open the Move-To-City tool →KEEP READING
Educational only, not financial advice. Cost-of-living estimates are modeled approximations from public data and will not match any individual budget exactly. Verify rent, tax, and salary figures for your own situation before making a move.