City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 6.5% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $106,500 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN and $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,070 a year higher in Philadelphia, PA than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Nashville, TN to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Nashville, TN | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,452 in Philadelphia | $93,939 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,070/yr.
50 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Nashville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,070/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Nashville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Nashville, TN to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Nashville → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $78,570 | $73,808 (+20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $133,040 | $124,976 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $85,990 | $80,778 (+3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $101,180 | $95,047 (+13.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.