CostIndexUSA

Asheville, NC vs Nashville, TN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNC
Asheville
96.5
overall index
$1,750/mo rent
TN
Nashville
96.3
overall index
$1,775/mo rent

Asheville and Nashville have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+12.0%
Asheville
93.4
Nashville
104.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Asheville
96.6
Nashville
96.2
🚗 Transportation3.1%
Asheville
103.1
Nashville
99.9
🏥 Healthcare3.1%
Asheville
93.3
Nashville
90.4
Utilities18.7%
Asheville
88.6
Nashville
72

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Asheville to see what you'd need to earn in Nashville to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Nashville, TN
$79,800
$200 less needed in Nashville

Formula: salary × (96.3 ÷ 96.5) = salary × 0.9979. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Asheville, NC

Median Home Price
$413,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,750
Housing Index
93.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.7×

Nashville, TN

Median Home Price
$444,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,775
Housing Index
104.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
20.8×

Nashville has 12.0% higher housing costs compared to Asheville.

Income & Job Market

Asheville, NC

Median Household Income
$67,800
Per Capita Income
$38,600
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
92,452
Top Industries
TourismHealthcareTechnologyArtsManufacturing

Nashville, TN

Median Household Income
$84,700
Per Capita Income
$48,300
Unemployment Rate
2.6%
Population
689,447
Top Industries
HealthcareMusicTourismManufacturingFinance

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Asheville, NC
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

Nashville, TN
4.0×income-to-rent ratio

75% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.