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 86.5 69.6 95.1 83.9 92.8 87.7
                 
Atlanta GA 101.8 101.6 107.9 84.4 100.8 101.4 102
Charlotte NC 96.9 102.4 83.7 94.3 101.7 103.7 103.6
Chattanooga TN 93.2 101.2 93.7 91 87.9 93.2 91.7
Chicago IL 123.4 108.6 160.8 92.4 111.8 98.5 114.7
Cincinnati OH 92.5 94.1 79.7 87 104.2 100.1 99.2
Cleveland OH 96 102.3 84.1 101.4 100.6 108.4 98.7
Columbia SC 91.9 107.6 72 134.3 86.4 73.6 93.5
Columbus OH 91.6 98 83.3 86.7 99.6 98.6 93.9
Dallas TX 106 96.3 116.4 108.8 90 114.4 104.1
Detroit MI 102.9 99.3 101 98.4 103.7 95.2 107.7
Huntsville AL 90.3 98.4 69.4 94.6 93.7 91.8 101.2
Lexington KY 92.1 90 80.3 104.8 93.1 81.6 99.8
Little Rock AR 96.6 88.9 88.4 94.4 90.5 87.6 109.1
Los Angeles CA 147.2 116.7 228.3 107.6 140.7 110.8 113.1
Louisville KY 96.1 94.9 79.3 98.8 108.6 92.5 106
Memphis TN 87.3 89.9 79.3 89.4 85.1 83.5 93
Montgomery AL 88.9 98.7 79.5 99.8 92 82.8 89.4
Nashville TN 97 99.3 95.8 91.2 92.1 95.9 100
Newark NJ 123.2 109.9 158.5 112 107.2 93.6 111.9
Oklahoma City OK 86.6 91.4 72.5 94.7 87.1 95.9 92.3
Philadelphia PA 111.9 119.3 117.4 109.7 116.2 102.2 105.3
Pittsburgh PA 103.7 108.9 101.5 115.8 116.6 96.7 97.6
Richmond VA 98.4 95 93.1 102 95.5 106.6 102.6
St. Louis MO 87.6 100.2 73.8 93.6 89 85.1 91.6

Source:  Cost of Living Index, Council for Community and Economic Research, 2020 Annual Average Data