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Mohamed Oun
Nashville
#16 of 124
North America

Nashville

TN, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Nashville compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Nashville is 17% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Nashville compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$141,000
-$131K (-48%) vs San Francisco
Based on 134 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$100,815
-$72K (-42%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 29%

Community Insights

New

Nashville is a polarizing but financially strategic move for software engineers. While it lacks the density and "tech nerd" culture of Austin or the Bay Area, it offers a massive purchasing power advantage due to the lack of state income tax and relatively affordable housing. The tech scene is dominated by healthcare IT, logistics, and enterprise software rather than flashy startups. Residents enjoy a high quality of life if they value home ownership and entertainment over walkability and public services. It is a city of growing pains—booming economically but struggling with infrastructure that lags years behind its population spike.

Resident Sentiment

Transplants generally report high satisfaction with their financial progress and the friendliness of the community. However, there is a strong undercurrent of frustration regarding infrastructure; complaining about traffic and the lack of sidewalks is a local pastime. Many expressed relief at escaping high-cost coastal cities but warn newcomers that Nashville is "full" and to expect a car-centric suburban lifestyle rather than a walkable city experience.

The Good

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Net Income

Top 12%

#15

of 124 cities

$100,815/yr

Current value

Purchasing Power

Top 13%

#16

of 124 cities

Home Affordability

Top 21%

#26

of 124 cities

≈3.6 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Nashville compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$4,501 / m²
55% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

Salary Converter

Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Nashville to maintain the same standard of living.

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Cost of Living
30% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Nashville

Amazon logo
Amazon
Oracle logo
Oracle
Asurion logo
Asurion
No state income tax significantly boosts take-home pay, especially for high-earning software engineers.
  • Major healthcare tech hub (HCA, Vanderbilt) and recent corporate moves (Oracle) provide stability outside the volatile startup market.
  • Housing market is accessible for tech salaries; buying a home is realistic here compared to coastal hubs.
  • Unmatched live music and entertainment scene creates a vibrant social atmosphere beyond just bars.
  • Southern hospitality is real; residents frequently mention how easy it is to make friends compared to the "Seattle Freeze."
  • Milder winters make it a comfortable escape for those fleeing the frozen North/Midwest.

    • The Bad

    • Public transit is virtually non-existent; you must own a car and rely on driving for everything.
    • Traffic infrastructure has not kept pace with growth, leading to severe congestion and sprawl.
    • The tech community is smaller and more corporate-focused (enterprise/healthcare) than the "hacker" culture of Austin or SF.
    • Humid subtropical summers are oppressive, with heat and humidity often keeping people indoors.
    • State politics are deeply conservative, which is frequently cited as a friction point for liberal tech transplants.
    • The city center is often overwhelmed by bachelorette parties and tourists, making downtown avoidable for locals.

    The Verdict

    You'll love it if...

    Remote workers looking to maximize savings, families wanting a standalone house with a yard, and engineers with backgrounds in healthcare or .NET/enterprise stacks will thrive here. It is also ideal for social extroverts who love live music and nightlife but want to escape the rat race of bigger cities.

    Skip it if...

    Die-hard urbanists who refuse to drive will be miserable. Developers seeking a cutting-edge startup ecosystem or deep DeepTech/AI research communities may feel isolated. Additionally, those strictly opposed to conservative state governance or religious cultural influences may find the environment frustrating.

    Updated 11/29/2025

    Weather5.7/10-34% vs San Francisco
    Safety52+32%
    Pollution38-22%
    Events0-100%
    5.7/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

    0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

    Weather snapshot

    Average High
    21°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
    Average Low
    11°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
    Sunshine Hours
    2,510h/yr-552h/yr(-18%)
    Hottest Month High
    32°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
    Coldest Month Low
    0°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
    Rainy Days
    112/yr+63/yr(+130%)

    Community & Quality

    Nashville community pulse

    Nashville has 0 Luma events listed.

    100% fewer events than San Francisco.

    Tax Rate

    Top 29%

    #36

    of 124 cities

    29%

    Current value (lower is better)

    Comfortable Weather

    Top 30%

    #37

    of 124 cities

    57/100 weather score

    Current value

    Pollution Score

    Middle of the pack

    #42

    of 124 cities

    38.2/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    Safety Index

    Middle of the pack

    #74

    of 124 cities

    51.9/100

    Current value

    Cost of Living

    Bottom 25%

    #94

    of 124 cities

    62/100

    Current value (lower is better)

    Community Events

    Bottom 20%

    #100

    of 124 cities

    0 events on luma

    Current value

    SWE Affordability
    3.6 years
    1.1 years quicker than San Francisco
    Muggy Days
    80/yr+80/yr(+39950%)
    Cloud Cover
    44%(vs 34% in San Francisco)