Cost of Living Comparison Between Nashville, TN and Baltimore, MD Cost of Living Comparison Between Nashville, TN and Baltimore, MD

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,097 in Nashville, TN versus $2,653 in Baltimore, MD.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,551 in Nashville, TN versus $4,041 in Baltimore, MD.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,005 in Nashville, TN versus $5,429 in Baltimore, MD.

Living in Nashville, TN is roughly 17% more expensive than Baltimore, MD, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nashville, TN 131% above, Baltimore, MD 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 $17.97

$19.62 $19.62

-8.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.2 $81.2

$80.7 $80.7

0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.14 $10.14

-3.16%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$4.94 $4.94

22.87%

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

$2.86 $2.86

$2.33 $2.33

22.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.21 $2.21

9.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.45 $6.45

$5.92 $5.92

8.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 $8.20

$7.63 $7.63

7.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.05 $1.05

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.78 $3.78

9.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$4.61 $4.61

-2.39%

Eggs

$3.87 $3.87

$4.45 $4.45

-13.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.85 $11.85

$13.28 $13.28

-10.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.58 $15.58

$9.77 $9.77

59.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.59 $16.59

$16.19 $16.19

2.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$6.83 $6.83

-36.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.58 $1.58

-6.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.89 $5.89

$7.06 $7.06

-16.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$5.27 $5.27

3.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.70 $2.70

37.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.98 $3.98

$3.03 $3.03

31.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.41 $2.41

-12.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.77 $2.77

-3.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.77 $8.77

$12.70 $12.70

-30.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.47 $15.47

$15.05 $15.05

2.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$2.36 $2.36

-13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 $4.46

$4.07 $4.07

9.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.53 $2.53

-18.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.4 $67.4

$75.8 $75.8

-11.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.12 $5.12

$1.78 $1.78

187.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.35 $1.35

17.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.33 $21.33

$23.93 $23.93

-10.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 $0.80

$0.90 $0.90

-11.11%

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

$32.9K $32.9K

$25.6K $25.6K

28.56%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.48%

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

$201 $201

$174 $174

15.47%

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

$69.9 $69.9

$57.9 $57.9

20.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$80.1 $80.1

-9.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.62 $40.62

$56.7 $56.7

-28.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.94 $17.94

$30.13 $30.13

-40.46%

Cinema Ticket

$14.83 $14.83

$15.10 $15.10

-1.79%

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

$1,235 $1,235

$1,299 $1,299

-4.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$34.0K $34.0K

-12.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 $60.3

$50.9 $50.9

18.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.06 $48.06

$73.6 $73.6

-34.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 $93.1

$84.9 $84.9

9.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$133 $133

$111 $111

20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,896 $1,896

$1,882 $1,882

0.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,614 $1,614

$1,328 $1,328

21.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,029 $4,029

$3,284 $3,284

22.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,940 $2,940

$2,274 $2,274

29.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,025 $8,025

$2,450 $2,450

227.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,642 $2,642

$2,346 $2,346

12.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,482 $4,482

$4,227 $4,227

6.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.59

-1.06%

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

Last update for Nashville, TN: June 1, 2026

Last update for Baltimore, MD: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,896 in Nashville, TN and $1,882 in Baltimore, MD. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nashville, TN pays 6% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81.0 in Nashville, TN vs $81.0 in Baltimore, MD. Groceries flip the comparison at $440 vs $427, with Baltimore, MD cheaper for home cooking.

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

Nashville, TN vs Baltimore, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Baltimore, MD wins on cost – living expenses run 17% lower than in Nashville, TN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Baltimore, MD the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Nashville, TN pays 6% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,896 in Nashville, TN versus $1,882 in Baltimore, MD. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Nashville, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Baltimore, MD – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $81.0 in Nashville, TN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Baltimore, MD is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Baltimore, MD delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,653 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Baltimore, MD hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Baltimore, MD gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Nashville, TN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.