City comparison

San Francisco vs Nashville Cost of Living

Compare overall indexes, housing costs, and budget targets between San Francisco (177.2) and Nashville (111.2).

San Francisco Index
177.2
Nashville Index
111.2
San Francisco Rent
$5,250
Nashville Rent
$2,450
San Francisco Home price
$935,000
Nashville Home price
$443,000

Salary equivalent calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Nashville
$94,131
Based on the relative overall cost of living between San Francisco and Nashville.

Category-by-category differences

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

CategorySan FranciscoNashvilleDifference
Housing276133-143.0 (-51.8%)
Groceries137100-37.0 (-27.0%)
Transportation125101-24.0 (-19.2%)
Healthcare11497-17.0 (-14.9%)
Utilities11299-13.0 (-11.6%)
Miscellaneous132101-31.0 (-23.5%)

Budget comparison

Single
$8,510 / $5,040
San Francisco / Nashville
Couple
$14,470 / $8,370
San Francisco / Nashville
Family
$21,280 / $11,790
San Francisco / 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.