Question 1

Is Chicago or Nashville cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Nashville, TN is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $206/month less than in Chicago, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,781/mo in Chicago versus $1,730/mo in Nashville.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Chicago vs Nashville?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $77,500/year before tax in Chicago, IL and $68,000/year in Nashville, TN — a difference of about $9,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Chicago or Nashville cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Nashville, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,504/month in Chicago 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 Chicago 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	Chicago62	Nashville74
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,110	$3,904
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,504	$7,166
Salary for comfort	$77,500/yr	$68,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,781	$1,730
Median home value	$315,200	$383,100
Median household income	$75,134	$75,197
Unemployment	5.4%	2.9%
Housing score	54	46
Jobs score	7	94
Safety score	66	35
Climate score	92	100
Amenities score	73	77
Population	2.7M	684.3K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	89° / 28°

Chicago, IL vs Nashville, TN