Cost of Living

The Knoxville region's cost of living is 18% below the national average, with housing at 29% 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 82.3 87.4 70.7 96 82.9 91.9 85.1
                 
Atlanta GA 105 98.4 111.3 84.2 100.2 106.3 110.3
Charlotte NC 94.8 98.6 82.4 93.4 94.5 105.7 104.5
Chattanooga TN 92.2 99.2 88.4 88.2 91.4 97.3 92.8
Chicago IL 123.3 104.2 159 90.7 119.7 98 113.1
Cincinnati OH 92.2 95.6 81.5 87.6 103.4 98.1 99.3
Cleveland OH 93.7 102.8 82.1 97.5 96.7 104.2 96.7
Columbia SC 94.3 104.3 72.7 129.6 82.8 81.3 103.8
Columbus OH 91.5 99.5 86.5 89.5 92.2 88.4 93.1
Dallas TX 103.5 98.4 102.7 109.9 89.7 111.9 107.4
Detroit MI 103 101.7 102.8 983 106.5 96.5 105.7
Huntsville AL 87.3 97.4 67.8 96.3 87.7 89 98.2
Lexington KY 90.3 90 77.7 106.2 94.9 76.1 99.1
Little Rock AR 96.6 92.3 88.5 95.5 98.4 83.2 109.4
Los Angeles CA 149.3 112.6 228.3 106.8 127.6 110.8 114.4
Louisville KY 95.8 94.2 82.1 103.2 111 87.1 106
Memphis TN 84.9 90.5 76.5 87.1 88.5 83.5 88.9
Montgomery AL 88 99.2 76 99.4 93.6 84.7 89.1
Nashville TN 95.4 98 93.2 91 96.7 93.4 97.6
Newark NJ 123.8 108.6 156.8 107.9 107.5 97.4 111.8
Oklahoma City OK 86.5 89.8 74.3 95.8 95 95.7 90.7
Philadelphia PA 109.8 117.2 110.6 110.2 113.3 99.2 105.6
Pittsburgh PA 103.4 107.5 99.7 122.6 108.1 96.8 98.1
Richmond VA 96.1 91.8 90.4 101.6 93.2 107.2 101.7
St. Louis MO 87.1 99.5 74.6 94.2 86.3 89.2 90.3

Source:  Cost of Living Index, Council for Community and Economic Research, 2021 Annual Average Data