Texas vs Tennessee: cost of living
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps about $279 more a month in Tennessee than in Texas after 2026 taxes, rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries. Median rent is 13% lower in Tennessee.
| A month, single filer on $75,000 | Texas | Tennessee | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take-home pay | $5,133 | $5,133 | +$0 |
| Rent (median, incl. utilities the renter pays) | $1,475 | $1,284 | −$191 |
| Electricity (average home bill) | $174 | $155 | −$20 |
| Gas for 1,000 miles a month | $137 | $141 | +$4 |
| Car insurance, full coverage | $204 | $132 | −$72 |
| Health insurance, your share of a job plan (U.S. average) | $139 | $139 | +$0 |
| Groceries (U.S. average household) | $519 | $519 | +$0 |
| Left over after these | $2,484 | $2,763 | +$279 |
Sources: take-home pay from 2026 IRS brackets, SSA wage base and Tax Foundation state rates; rent from Census ACS; electricity from EIA; gas from AAA (1,000 miles at 27.2 mpg); car insurance from Insurify; groceries are the U.S. average household from BLS (2024) in both states. Each figure has its own date, shown on the linked page. Our calculation, a rough guide, not an exact budget.
Compare two states
Same salary in both states, single filer, 2026 taxes. Each cost is that state's average from its own source and date; groceries use the U.S. average in both. Electricity can be partly counted in gross rent. "I own a home" swaps rent for home insurance and property tax but leaves out the mortgage payment. Our calculation, a rough guide.
Common questions
Is it cheaper to live in Texas or Tennessee?
Tennessee, by the basics we track. On $75,000 a year, Tennessee leaves about $279 more a month ($3,346 a year) after 2026 taxes, median rent, electricity, gas, car insurance, health insurance and groceries (our calculation).
What salary in Tennessee equals $75,000 in Texas?
About $70,200 a year. At that salary a single filer in Tennessee keeps the same $2,484 a month after taxes and the same basics as $75,000 in Texas (our calculation).
How do taxes compare between Texas and Tennessee?
Texas has no income tax on wages and Tennessee has no income tax on wages (Tax Foundation, 2026). On $75,000, take-home pay is about $5,133 a month in Texas and $5,133 in Tennessee.
How much is rent in Texas vs Tennessee?
The median rent is $1,475 a month in Texas and $1,284 in Tennessee (Census ACS).
Planning the move itself? See the full monthly budget for Texas or Tennessee, and the take-home pay calculators for Texas and Tennessee.