City Comparison

Nashville vs St Cloud

Cost of Living Comparison · 2026

Nashville

Tennessee
102
Average
$380,000
Median Home
$1,600/mo
Median Rent
$59,828
Median Income

St Cloud

Minnesota
90
Below Average
$250,000
Median Home
$1,000/mo
Median Rent
$60,200
Median Income

The Verdict

13.3%

St Cloud is 13.3% less expensive than Nashville overall. A household earning $75,000 in Nashville would need approximately $66,176 in St Cloud to maintain the same standard of living.

Category-by-Category Breakdown

Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable

Housing
108
Nashville
82
St Cloud
Groceries
96
Nashville
101
St Cloud
Utilities
92
Nashville
95
St Cloud
Transportation
100
Nashville
99
St Cloud
Healthcare
98
Nashville
100
St Cloud

Salary Equivalence

A $75,000 salary in Nashville has the same purchasing power as $66,176 in St Cloud.

Conversely, $75,000 in St Cloud equals $85,000 in Nashville.

Living in Nashville vs St Cloud

Housing Costs

Nashville's housing index of 108 is higher St Cloud's 82, translating to median home prices of $380,000 vs $250,000. The $130,000 difference in home prices means roughly $8,448 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,600/mo in Nashville compared to $1,000/mo in St Cloud, a monthly difference of $600.

Grocery & Food Costs

Grocery expenses index at 96 in Nashville and 101 in St Cloud. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $456/month in Nashville vs $480/month in St Cloud. The difference in grocery costs between these cities is relatively minor and unlikely to be a deciding factor in relocation.

Utility Expenses

Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 92 in Nashville and 95 in St Cloud. Monthly utility bills average approximately $368 in Nashville vs $380 in St Cloud. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.

Healthcare

Healthcare costs index at 98 in Nashville and 100 in St Cloud. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.

Income & Purchasing Power

Median household income is $59,828 in Nashville and $60,200 in St Cloud. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $58,655 and $66,889 respectively. St Cloud residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.

Relocation Considerations

Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,396/month to housing in Nashville vs $1,405/month in St Cloud. In Nashville, median rent of $1,600/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In St Cloud, median rent of $1,000/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 26 index points — focus your budget analysis there.

Frequently Asked Questions

St Cloud is 13.3% more affordable overall with an index of 90 vs 102.
A $75,000 salary in Nashville has equivalent purchasing power to approximately $66,176 in St Cloud, based on the cost of living difference.
Nashville's housing index is 108 with median homes at $380,000, while St Cloud's is 82 with median homes at $250,000.

Moving & Relocation Resources

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