Cost of Living

The Knoxville region's cost of living is 17% below the national average, with housing at 30% below the national average a major factor.

Knoxville MSA

City State Composite Grocery Items Housing Utilities Transpor-tation Health Care Misc. Goods & Services
Knoxville TN 83.1 88.1 69.7 94.2 83.7 91.9 87.4
                 
Atlanta GA 102.4 103.1 102.4 85.2 103.4 107 105.9
Charlotte NC 97.9 101.4 87.8 95.7 90.5 105 105.9
Chattanooga TN 94.7 99.5 95.9 91 90.9 97.2 93.5
Chicago IL 120 101.6 154 92.4 125.6 100 109.3
Cincinnati OH 93.7 96.9 77.2 88.2 104.7 101.4 103
Cleveland OH 96.6 105.7 82.4 96.2 99.2 104.4 102.5
Columbia SC 93.2 102.8 91.9 126.3 87 79.8 100.4
Columbus OH 92.2 98.4 80.3 89.2 95.3 88.4 99.6
Dallas TX 107.7 100 117.5 106.9 96.6 105.4 106.6
Detroit MI 99.5 95.3 96.2 91.4 107.4 94.6 104.3
Huntsville AL 91 94.8 65.9 99.1 97.2 96.3 104.6
Lexington KY 92.4 89.7 82.8 95.7 96.5 78.9 100.6
Little Rock AR 95.6 94.8 87.1 97.5 94.6 89.6 103.1
Los Angeles CA 145.9 116 228.1 106.3 134.5 110.7 111.8
Louisville KY 93.8 91.5 79 94.7 97.9 105.2 103.6
Memphis TN 80.4 88.7 68.2 87.2 85.9 78.1 83.5
Montgomery AL 91.8 100.2 82.7 106.4 91.2 82.5 93
Nashville TN 98.5 99.3 97.4 97.1 97.7 82.3 100.3
Newark NJ 124.7 108.6 161.5 107 109.2 97.2 114.6
Oklahoma City OK 85.7 93.1 68.8 95.3 86.1 94.9 92
Philadelphia PA 110.5 118.4 115.2 105.7 115.9 101.7 104.6
Pittsburgh PA 102.7 111.6 104.5 116.2 113.8 93 92.6
Richmond VA 93.9 88.8 85.1 97.7 86.7 106.6 101.9
St. Louis MO 87.6 104.1 69 100 91.5 91.2 90.9

Source:  Cost of Living Index, Council for Community and Economic Research, 2019 Annual Average Data