City comparison

San Diego vs Nashville Cost of Living

Compare overall indexes, housing costs, and budget targets between San Diego (141.4) and Nashville (111.2).

San Diego Index
141.4
Nashville Index
111.2
San Diego Rent
$3,700
Nashville Rent
$2,450
San Diego Home price
$738,000
Nashville Home price
$443,000

Salary equivalent calculator

Enter your current salary in San Diego to estimate the income needed for a similar lifestyle in Nashville.

Equivalent salary in Nashville
$92,011
Based on the relative overall cost of living between San Diego and Nashville.

Category-by-category differences

Use this table to see which categories make one city more or less expensive than the other.

CategorySan DiegoNashvilleDifference
Housing194133-61.0 (-31.4%)
Groceries122100-22.0 (-18.0%)
Transportation109101-8.0 (-7.3%)
Healthcare11097-13.0 (-11.8%)
Utilities10899-9.0 (-8.3%)
Miscellaneous118101-17.0 (-14.4%)

Budget comparison

Single
$6,650 / $5,040
San Diego / Nashville
Couple
$11,040 / $8,370
San Diego / Nashville
Family
$15,560 / $11,790
San Diego / Nashville

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: Q1 2026

Data as of Q1 2026. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Cost of living indexes use the national average as baseline (100). Data is updated periodically.