Question 1

Is Arlington or Nashville cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Nashville, TN is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $207/month less than in Arlington, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,723/mo in Arlington versus $1,730/mo in Nashville.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Arlington vs Nashville?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $72,000/year before tax in Arlington, TX and $68,000/year in Nashville, TN — a difference of about $4,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Arlington or Nashville cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Nashville, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,857/month in Arlington and $7,166/month in Nashville, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Arlington or Nashville?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Nashville costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Arlington73	Nashville74
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,111	$3,904
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,857	$7,166
Salary for comfort	$72,000/yr	$68,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,723	$1,730
Median home value	$276,400	$383,100
Median household income	$73,519	$75,197
Unemployment	4.1%	2.9%
Housing score	60	46
Jobs score	58	94
Safety score	65	35
Climate score	96	100
Amenities score	73	77
Population	394.8K	684.3K
Summer high / winter low	94° / 35°	89° / 28°

Arlington, TX vs Nashville, TN