Cost of Living Comparison Between Nashville, TN and Tampa, FL Cost of Living Comparison Between Nashville, TN and Tampa, FL

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,005 in Nashville, TN versus $2,997 in Tampa, FL.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,609 in Nashville, TN versus $4,398 in Tampa, FL.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,213 in Nashville, TN versus $5,800 in Tampa, FL.

Monthly costs are close between Nashville, TN and Tampa, FL; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nashville, TN 125% above, Tampa, FL 124% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.97 $17.97

$19.90 $19.90

-9.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 $81.3

$80.9 $80.9

0.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.18 $10.18

$12.18 $12.18

-16.42%

Cappuccino

$5.81 $5.81

$4.99 $4.99

16.43%

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

$2.98 $2.98

$2.65 $2.65

12.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.07 $2.07

21.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.66 $6.66

$7.15 $7.15

-6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.19 $8.19

$8.20 $8.20

-0.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.26 $1.26

-7.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$4.14 $4.14

-4.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$5.22 $5.22

-12.26%

Eggs

$3.94 $3.94

$4.42 $4.42

-10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.02 $12.02

$16.10 $16.10

-25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.54 $15.54

$11.37 $11.37

36.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.39 $16.39

$16.07 $16.07

1.99%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 $4.52

$6.35 $6.35

-28.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.75 $1.75

-16.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$4.33 $4.33

32.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$4.69 $4.69

13.43%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.58 $3.58

-0.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.67 $3.67

7.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.48 $2.48

-17.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.46 $2.46

13.01%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.07 $9.07

$8.13 $8.13

11.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.63 $15.63

$16.17 $16.17

-3.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.45 $2.45

-17.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 $4.31

$3.52 $3.52

22.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$1.98 $1.98

-1.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$68.1 $68.1

$66.7 $66.7

2.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.09 $5.09

$2.44 $2.44

108.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.53 $1.53

1.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.82 $20.82

$29.74 $29.74

-29.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 $0.85

$0.91 $0.91

-6.59%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$34.5K $34.5K

-7.72%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.3K $26.3K

0.26%

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

$201 $201

$234 $234

-14.32%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$68.2 $68.2

1.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.4 $72.4

$70.8 $70.8

2.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.04 $41.04

$38.63 $38.63

6.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.86 $17.86

$12.86 $12.86

38.88%

Cinema Ticket

$14.97 $14.97

$16.17 $16.17

-7.42%

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

$1,260 $1,260

$1,273 $1,273

-1.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.2K $30.2K

$14.1K $14.1K

114.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.0 $61.0

$56.6 $56.6

7.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.58 $47.58

$36.47 $36.47

30.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.4 $91.4

$95.3 $95.3

-4.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$135 $135

0.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,861 $1,861

$2,035 $2,035

-8.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,642 $1,642

$1,535 $1,535

6.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,097 $4,097

$3,671 $3,671

11.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,997 $2,997

$2,710 $2,710

10.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,769 $7,769

$5,319 $5,319

46.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,644 $2,644

$2,310 $2,310

14.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,462 $4,462

$4,681 $4,681

-4.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.48

0.62%

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

Last update for Nashville, TN: July 12, 2026

Last update for Tampa, FL: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,861 in Nashville, TN and $2,035 in Tampa, FL. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tampa, FL pays 5% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $81.0 in Nashville, TN vs $81.0 in Tampa, FL. Groceries flip the comparison at $439 vs $438, with Tampa, FL 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 Tampa, FL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, salaries run 5% lower in Tampa, FL. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,861 in Nashville, TN versus $2,035 in Tampa, FL. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tampa, FL runs roughly 2% less than in Nashville, TN. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Nashville, TN. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Tampa, FL is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

It comes down to priorities – Tampa, FL wins on affordability, Nashville, TN on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.