Question 1

Is El Paso or Memphis cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

El Paso, TX is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $95/month less than in Memphis, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,191/mo in El Paso versus $1,274/mo in Memphis.

Question 2

What salary do you need in El Paso vs Memphis?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $63,500/year before tax in El Paso, TX and $65,500/year in Memphis, TN — a difference of about $2,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is El Paso or Memphis cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

El Paso, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $8,277/month in El Paso and $8,376/month in Memphis, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to El Paso or Memphis?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. El Paso 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	El Paso79	Memphis53
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,688	$3,783
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$8,277	$8,376
Salary for comfort	$63,500/yr	$65,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,191	$1,274
Median home value	$171,700	$157,100
Median household income	$58,734	$51,211
Unemployment	4.8%	5.6%
Housing score	85	65
Jobs score	46	14
Safety score	98	4
Climate score	94	100
Amenities score	39	47
Population	678.1K	629.1K
Summer high / winter low	95° / 33°	92° / 33°

El Paso, TX vs Memphis, TN