Cost of Living Comparison Between Cookeville, TN and Lincoln Cost of Living Comparison Between Cookeville, TN and Lincoln

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,558 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $2,228 in Lincoln, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,127 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $3,322 in Lincoln, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,696 per month in Cookeville, TN vs $4,416 in Lincoln, rent included.

Cookeville, TN costs about 15% more than Lincoln, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Cookeville, TN and Lincoln sit above the global median – Cookeville, TN by 91%, Lincoln by 66%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.91 $21.91

$26.96 £19.98

-18.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.22 $49.22

$75.1 £55.7

-34.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 $8.05

$10.37 £7.68

-22.37%

Cappuccino

$4.53 $4.53

$5.36 £3.97

-15.49%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.52 $6.52

$2.31 £1.71

182.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.56 £1.16

15.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.94 $5.94

$6.86 £5.09

-13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.11 $4.11

$6.83 £5.06

-39.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.46 £1.08

-19.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.41 £1.05

-25.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$1.35 £1.00

133.33%

Eggs

$4.01 $4.01

$3.45 £2.55

16.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.45 $12.45

$9.28 £6.87

34.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.57 $7.57

$8.69 £6.44

-12.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.21 $15.21

$11.83 £8.76

28.57%

Apples (1kg)

$8.69 $8.69

$3.81 £2.82

128.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.26 £0.93

27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.95 £2.19

-10.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$3.20 £2.37

0.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 $1.85

$0.93 £0.69

98.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.64 £1.22

43.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$1.20 £0.89

90.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.45 £1.07

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$18.49 £13.70

-24.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.11 $14.11

$11.95 £8.86

18.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$3.82 £2.83

-55.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 $3.91

$3.18 £2.36

22.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$4.27 £3.17

-54.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.5 £66.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.11 £3.04

44.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.60 $0.60

$1.60 £1.19

-62.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.69 $28.69

$47.63 £35.30

-39.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$1.96 £1.45

-59.18%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$34.9K $34.9K

$33.9K £25.1K

3.01%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$39.6K $39.6K

$41.6K £30.8K

-4.96%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$322 $322

$313 £232

2.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$46.02 $46.02

$15.52 £11.50

196.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$103 $103

$46.60 £34.53

121.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.26 $35.26

$42.71 £31.65

-17.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.20 $37.20

$18.72 £13.87

98.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.90 $11.90

$16.29 £12.07

-26.95%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$731 $731

$1,845 £1,367

-60.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K $23.3K

$20.6K £15.3K

12.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.97 $44.97

$109 £81.1

-58.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$65.7 $65.7

$44.28 £32.81

48.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 $138

$81.3 £60.2

69.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$99.4 £73.6

43.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,221 $1,221

$1,103 £817

10.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,190 $1,190

$874 £648

36.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,506 $3,506

$1,981 £1,468

77.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,745 $2,745

$1,489 £1,103

84.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,758 $2,758

$2,617 £1,939

5.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,254 $2,254

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,825 $2,825

$3,578 £2,651

-21.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

5.56

16.01%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cookeville, TN: April 20, 2026

Last update for Lincoln: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,221 in Cookeville, TN versus $1,103 in Lincoln. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 27% higher in Lincoln, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49 in Cookeville, TN versus $75 in Lincoln. Groceries tell a different story – $348 in Cookeville, TN vs $287 in Lincoln – so Lincoln wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cookeville, TN vs Lincoln: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cookeville, TN costs about 15% more than Lincoln, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,837 per month in Cookeville, TN and $3,342 in Lincoln. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lincoln, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Cookeville, TN and $75.0 in Lincoln. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% more in Cookeville, TN, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Lincoln, where all-in costs run around $2,228, than in Cookeville, TN at $2,558. In Lincoln it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cookeville, TN it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Lincoln – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Lincoln. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cookeville, TN makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.