Median rent is 21% lower in Nashville-Davidson ($1,486/mo vs $1,879/mo). Buying is cheaper in Nashville-Davidson, where the median home runs $383,100 versus $879,500. Households earn more in Los Angeles ($80,366 vs $75,197 a year).
City A
Los Angeles, CA
City B
Nashville-Davidson, TN
How much would you need to earn in Nashville-Davidson, TN to maintain your standard of living from Los Angeles, CA?
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 city's metro area. A rough estimate of overall purchasing power, not tax or take-home pay.
Metric
Los Angeles
California
Nashville-Davidson
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: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Nashville-Davidson — median rent of $1,486/mo versus $1,879/mo in Los Angeles, a 21% difference. Home buyers face a steeper market in Los Angeles: the median home is $879,500 versus $383,100 in Nashville-Davidson — 56% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
Tennessee has no state income tax, while California tops out at 13.30% — giving Nashville-Davidson a clear advantage for high earners. Sales tax is 7.25% in California and 7.00% in Tennessee; Nashville-Davidson has the lower rate (local add-ons may apply in both).
Los Angeles
Income tax: 13.30%
Sales tax: 7.25%
Nashville-Davidson
Income tax: None
Sales tax: 7.00%
Nashville-Davidson has cleaner air on average: 48.0 AQI (Good) compared to 77.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Los Angeles if you prioritize higher median household income ($80,366/yr).
Pick Nashville-Davidson if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,486/mo median).
Pick Nashville-Davidson if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 48.0).
Pick Nashville-Davidson if you prioritize no state income tax.
Is Los Angeles cheaper than Nashville-Davidson?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Los Angeles vs Nashville-Davidson?
Median rent is $1,879/mo in Los Angeles, CA and $1,486/mo in Nashville-Davidson, TN. Nashville-Davidson, TN has the lower rent by about 21%.
Which has higher salaries — Los Angeles or Nashville-Davidson?
Median household income is $80,366 in Los Angeles, CA and $75,197 in Nashville-Davidson, TN. Los Angeles, CA 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?
Nashville-Davidson, TN has better air quality on average: 48.0 AQI versus 77.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Los Angeles or Nashville-Davidson?
Tennessee has no state income tax. California has a top rate of 13.30%.
What salary do I need in Nashville-Davidson to match my Los Angeles income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2024 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology