Route comparison
Chicago, IL vs Nashville, TN: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Chicago, IL and Nashville, TN. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Chicago, IL
IL
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 105.7
- Housing RPP
- 110.9
- Goods RPP
- 106.7
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,714/mo
Illinois flat income tax 4.95%. Chicago city tax adds ~2.25% effective burden.
Nashville, TN
TN
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 96.6
- Housing RPP
- 105.8
- Goods RPP
- 94.4
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,619/mo
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.
Equivalent salary
Nashville, TN is cheaper than Chicago, IL by about 8.6% (RPP 105.7 to 96.6).
$60,000 in Chicago, IL
-> $54,834
in Nashville, TN
$100,000 in Chicago, IL
-> $91,391
in Nashville, TN
$150,000 in Chicago, IL
-> $137,086
in Nashville, TN
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: Chicago, IL vs Nashville, TN
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Chicago, IL
- Net people
- −73,936
- Net rank
- #63 of 65
- Top origin share
- 1%
- Top destination share
- 2%
Largest source: Los Angeles County, CA. Largest destination: Maricopa County, AZ.
Nashville, TN
- Net people
- +15,937
- Net rank
- #11 of 65
- Top origin share
- 2%
- Top destination share
- 4%
Largest source: Montgomery County, TN. Largest destination: Montgomery County, TN.
Rent delta: Nashville, TN is $95/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Chicago, IL. Housing RPP moves from 110.9 to 105.8.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Nashville, TN cheaper or more expensive than Chicago, IL?
- Nashville, TN (RPP 96.6) is cheaper than Chicago, IL (RPP 105.7) by about 8.6%.
- What salary do I need in Nashville, TN if I earn $100,000 in Chicago, IL?
- You would need approximately $91,391 in Nashville, TN to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Chicago, IL. Formula: $100,000 x (96.6 / 105.7).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Chicago, IL or Nashville, TN?
- For 2021-2022, Chicago, IL had a net loss of 73,936 people, while Nashville, TN had a net gain of 15,937 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.