Median rent is 20% lower in Cleveland ($945/mo vs $1,181/mo). Buying is cheaper in Cleveland, where the median home runs $102,000 versus $169,000. Households earn more in Memphis ($51,736 vs $40,801 a year).
City A
Cleveland, OH
City B
Memphis, TN
How much would you need to earn in Memphis, TN to maintain your standard of living from Cleveland, OH?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Cleveland
Ohio
Memphis
Tennessee
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Cleveland at $945/mo compared to $1,181/mo in Memphis (20% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Memphis: the median home is $169,000 versus $102,000 in Cleveland — 40% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Cleveland
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Memphis
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Memphis (avg AQI 19.0) but not yet for Cleveland.
Pick Memphis if you prioritize higher median household income ($51,736/yr).
Pick Cleveland if you prioritize cheaper rent ($945/mo median).
Is Cleveland cheaper than Memphis?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Cleveland vs Memphis?
Median rent is $945/mo in Cleveland, OH and $1,181/mo in Memphis, TN. Cleveland, OH has the lower rent by about 20%.
Which has higher salaries — Cleveland or Memphis?
Median household income is $40,801 in Cleveland, OH and $51,736 in Memphis, TN. Memphis, TN has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Cleveland or Memphis?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Memphis to match my Cleveland income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
