Lexington vs Nashville Cost of Living
Nashville is approximately 7.6% more expensive than Lexington. See salary equivalence, taxes, and side-by-side breakdown.
Lexington, KY
Nashville, TN
| Salary in Lexington | Equivalent in Nashville | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $53,800 | +$3,800 (+7.6%) |
| $75,000 | $80,700 | +$5,700 (+7.6%) |
| $100,000 | $107,600 | +$7,600 (+7.6%) |
| $150,000 | $161,400 | +$11,400 (+7.6%) |
| $200,000 | $215,200 | +$15,200 (+7.6%) |
Lexington vs Nashville: which is more affordable?
On an overall cost-of-living basis, Nashville is 7.6% more expensive than Lexington. That means if you currently spend $5,000/month in Lexington, you'd spend approximately $5,380 for the same lifestyle in Nashville. Or: $100,000 in Lexington ≈ $107,609 in Nashville for equivalent purchasing power.
These multipliers are based on Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities and reflect average housing, food, transportation, and services costs. Real personal costs vary by neighborhood (urban core vs suburb), housing choice (rent vs own, apartment vs house), and lifestyle (frequency of dining out, car-dependent vs transit, etc.).
Tax differences
Kentucky has state income tax, but Tennessee doesn't. Moving from Lexington to Nashville eliminates state income tax — saving ~5% effective on income, or roughly $5,000/year on $100K.
City local taxes: Lexington 2.25% vs Nashville no local tax. On $100K, the difference is roughly $2250/year.
What costs more (and less) in Nashville
Cost of living differences are driven mostly by housing — typically the biggest expense category. Nashville's housing index (0.68×) compared to Lexington's (0.56×) is the dominant factor.
Food, groceries, and transportation typically vary 5–15% between metros — much less than housing. For a couple moving from Lexington to Nashville, expect roughly:
- Rent / mortgage: 23% higher
- Groceries: 4% higher
- Transportation: 3% higher
- Healthcare, services: roughly proportional to overall index
Things this calculator can't fully capture
- Quality-of-life: weather, walkability, school quality, crime rates, commute times — not in the index.
- Career opportunities: a metro with higher cost-of-living often pays correspondingly higher salaries for the same role. See our salary calculator by job and city.
- Family situation: childcare, school district, eldercare costs vary independently of overall index.
- Lifestyle preferences: a frugal renter pays less than the index suggests; a property owner in a hot market might pay much more.
Related tools
Lexington Paycheck Calculator — exact take-home in Lexington. Nashville Paycheck Calculator — exact take-home in Nashville. Salary Calculator — hourly ↔ annual conversion. Inflation Calculator — purchasing power over time. Mortgage Calculator — what you can afford.