California vs Tennessee: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in California or Tennessee?
- Overall, Tennessee is 17.0% less expensive than California (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in California works out to about $62,200 in Tennessee, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 48.8% less in Tennessee. Goods are 9.3% lower and other services 7.3% lower.
- Utility prices (electricity, gas, water) are 54.6% lower in Tennessee.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $58,582 in Tennessee and $63,028 in California (7.1% lower in Tennessee; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 85.5 in Jackson, TN to 96.3 in Nashville, TN (Tennessee) and from 95.2 in El Centro, CA to 115.6 in San Francisco, CA (California), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (17.9%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Housing drives the gap: 48.8% lower in Tennessee than in California
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- California
- Tennessee
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Tennessee | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 110.7 | 91.9 |
| Goods | 106.1 | 96.2 |
| Housing (rents) | 154.3 | 79.1 |
| Utilities | 158.9 | 72.1 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 95.1 |
| Category | California | Tennessee | Tennessee vs California |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 110.7 | 91.9 | −17.0% |
| Goods | 106.1 | 96.2 | −9.3% |
| Housing (rents) | 154.3 | 79.1 | −48.8% |
| Utilities | 158.9 | 72.1 | −54.6% |
| Other services | 102.6 | 95.1 | −7.3% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $63,028 | $58,582 | −7.1% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $6.03 | $4.14 | −31.3% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in California | $75,000 | $62,200 | −17.0% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *Midwest region average (EIA has no separate Tennessee figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
California
- El Centro, CA 95.2
- Merced, CA 98.3
- Visalia, CA 99.8
- Redding, CA 100.7
- Bakersfield, CA 100.9
- Chico, CA 101.2
- Hanford, CA 101.6
- Fresno, CA 102.2
- Modesto, CA 104.1
- Yuba City, CA 104.2
- Stockton, CA 105.1
- Riverside, CA 106.4
- Sacramento, CA 106.7
- Santa Rosa, CA 107.8
- Vallejo, CA 108.5
- San Luis Obispo, CA 108.6
- Santa Maria, CA 108.8
- Salinas, CA 109.0
- Santa Cruz, CA 109.9
- San Jose, CA 110.4
- Oxnard, CA 110.5
- San Diego, CA 111.9
- Napa, CA 112.6
- Los Angeles, CA 113.6
- San Francisco, CA 115.6
Tennessee
- Jackson, TN 85.5
- Morristown, TN 86.4
- Kingsport, TN 86.4
- Johnson City, TN 87.9
- Cleveland, TN 88.1
- Clarksville, TN 90.9
- Chattanooga, TN 91.5
- Memphis, TN 92.2
- Knoxville, TN 92.6
- Nashville, TN 96.3
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between California and Tennessee has been fairly stable since 2008
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- California
- Tennessee
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Tennessee | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 111.2 | 91.7 |
| 2009 | 110.7 | 90.5 |
| 2010 | 109.7 | 92.4 |
| 2011 | 109.5 | 92.9 |
| 2012 | 109.7 | 93.4 |
| 2013 | 109.7 | 93.0 |
| 2014 | 109.9 | 92.8 |
| 2015 | 110.7 | 92.8 |
| 2016 | 110.0 | 93.8 |
| 2017 | 111.0 | 93.0 |
| 2018 | 111.9 | 89.6 |
| 2019 | 111.1 | 91.3 |
| 2020 | 111.9 | 90.5 |
| 2021 | 111.9 | 90.6 |
| 2022 | 112.6 | 91.8 |
| 2023 | 112.2 | 92.1 |
| 2024 | 110.7 | 91.9 |
Goods
- California
- Tennessee
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Tennessee | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 107.4 | 96.5 |
| 2009 | 104.7 | 94.0 |
| 2010 | 103.0 | 96.8 |
| 2011 | 103.6 | 96.1 |
| 2012 | 104.1 | 95.3 |
| 2013 | 104.3 | 96.1 |
| 2014 | 104.3 | 96.1 |
| 2015 | 105.5 | 95.1 |
| 2016 | 104.4 | 95.9 |
| 2017 | 104.5 | 95.6 |
| 2018 | 105.5 | 92.3 |
| 2019 | 106.2 | 94.5 |
| 2020 | 106.7 | 94.3 |
| 2021 | 108.1 | 93.9 |
| 2022 | 108.4 | 94.5 |
| 2023 | 106.8 | 94.3 |
| 2024 | 106.1 | 96.2 |
Housing (rents)
- California
- Tennessee
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Tennessee | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 161.4 | 72.5 |
| 2009 | 160.4 | 73.2 |
| 2010 | 158.0 | 73.4 |
| 2011 | 157.1 | 73.2 |
| 2012 | 156.2 | 74.7 |
| 2013 | 155.7 | 73.5 |
| 2014 | 157.9 | 71.9 |
| 2015 | 158.0 | 72.8 |
| 2016 | 160.1 | 74.6 |
| 2017 | 162.5 | 75.1 |
| 2018 | 163.8 | 73.8 |
| 2019 | 164.6 | 76.0 |
| 2020 | 166.3 | 75.8 |
| 2021 | 165.0 | 76.3 |
| 2022 | 160.1 | 76.8 |
| 2023 | 157.8 | 77.9 |
| 2024 | 154.3 | 79.1 |
Utilities
- California
- Tennessee
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Tennessee | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 111.4 | 79.3 |
| 2009 | 112.8 | 79.7 |
| 2010 | 117.2 | 80.2 |
| 2011 | 115.3 | 83.3 |
| 2012 | 117.1 | 84.2 |
| 2013 | 121.4 | 82.0 |
| 2014 | 128.3 | 84.2 |
| 2015 | 129.3 | 83.8 |
| 2016 | 129.5 | 83.4 |
| 2017 | 130.7 | 82.1 |
| 2018 | 125.1 | 78.0 |
| 2019 | 131.0 | 76.3 |
| 2020 | 133.5 | 74.0 |
| 2021 | 144.2 | 76.0 |
| 2022 | 152.3 | 77.3 |
| 2023 | 147.3 | 76.4 |
| 2024 | 158.9 | 72.1 |
Other services
- California
- Tennessee
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| California | Tennessee | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 101.9 | 97.4 |
| 2009 | 102.0 | 96.3 |
| 2010 | 101.7 | 98.3 |
| 2011 | 101.6 | 99.7 |
| 2012 | 101.9 | 100.7 |
| 2013 | 101.8 | 99.9 |
| 2014 | 101.9 | 99.8 |
| 2015 | 102.8 | 100.1 |
| 2016 | 101.9 | 100.8 |
| 2017 | 103.3 | 98.9 |
| 2018 | 104.3 | 94.5 |
| 2019 | 102.4 | 95.9 |
| 2020 | 101.9 | 95.1 |
| 2021 | 102.1 | 94.5 |
| 2022 | 103.9 | 96.6 |
| 2023 | 104.4 | 97.1 |
| 2024 | 102.6 | 95.1 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $58,582 in Tennessee, $63,028 in California
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- California
- Tennessee
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| California | Tennessee | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $43,788 | $42,784 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $42,377 | $42,836 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $43,503 | $42,895 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $44,844 | $43,790 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $46,162 | $44,317 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $45,826 | $43,952 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $47,472 | $44,696 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $50,054 | $46,517 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $51,802 | $46,670 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $52,569 | $47,841 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $53,523 | $50,876 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $55,931 | $51,865 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $59,993 | $55,023 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $63,373 | $58,589 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $59,126 | $55,524 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $60,100 | $57,242 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $63,028 | $58,582 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in California
- Cost of living in Tennessee
- Reverse: moving from Tennessee to California
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.