Cost of Living in Florida vs Tennessee

What are Some Benefits of Moving to Tennessee from Florida?  

Tennessee and Florida have some similarities including the rich landscapes, but Tennessee has a lot of benefits if you are thinking of relocating. Let’s first compare the cost of living in Florida vs Tennessee. Florida has a flatter landscape with lots of beaches whereas Tennessee is mountainous and wooded in many parts of the state. In general, people are moving from Florida to Tennessee because of the cost-of-living comparison. In 2019, more Floridians moved to Tennessee than any other state including Texas and California!

Housing Market in Florida

In general, houses cost a bit less in Tennessee compared to Florida.

There are several reasons for that, so feel free to check out the best places to live in Tennessee if you want to compare the way of life between the two.

However, in terms of house costs, see below for a comparison of the state of Tennessee vs Florida. As well as a comparison of the capital cities of Nashville vs Tallahassee. We are confident that seeing the analysis of these comparisons will help you understand the differences in housing costs. 

*All of the following housing cost numbers are as of 9-16-2022, according to Zillow

Average Housing Cost in Tennessee

$277,805 (Cost of Home)

+25.7% (12-month change)

83.8% (cost compared to $331,533 national average)

0.84% (population growth)

ANALYSIS: On average, the price of a home in Tennessee is higher than it was a year ago. It is still cheaper than the average home in the United States. This would explain part of the allure of moving to Tennessee from many other locations. 

Average Housing Cost in Florida

$405,489 (Cost of Home)

+30.5% (12-month change)

122.3% (cost compared to $331,533 national average)

1.1% (population growth)

ANALYSIS: On average, the price of a home in Florida is also higher than it was a year ago. The annual growth in cost (as a percentage) is higher than that of Tennessee. 

Housing Costs in Nashville TN

$420,533 (Cost of Home)

+28.3% (12-month change)

126.8% (compared to $331,533 national average)

1.73% (population growth)

ANALYSIS: On average, the price of a home in Nashville is higher than it was a year ago and more expensive than the average home in the United States. It would be wise, however, to look outside of Nashville if you are looking to live in that area. 

Housing Costs in Tallahassee FL

$268,586 (Cost of Home)

+15.4% (12-month change)

81.0% (compared to $331,533 national average)

0.5% (population growth)

ANALYSIS: On average, the price of a home in Tallahassee is also higher than it was a year ago. While the average cost of a house in Tallahassee is cheaper than a house in Nashville, it would also be wise to look outside of the capital or popular cities of the state. 

Tax Rates in Florida

Overall, out of all fifty States, Florida is ranked 45th out of 50 for the highest total tax burden, while Tennessee is 49th. Right off the bat, you can tell that there is a slight difference in the cost of living in Tennessee vs Florida simply based on taxes. 

Let’s break it down a little bit more…

Total Tax Burden

6.64% | Florida (45th out of 50)

5.75% | Tennessee (2nd lowest out of 50… only Alaska is lower)

Income taxes

0.00% | Florida (44th highest out of 50)

0.06% | Tennessee (43rd highest out of 50)

Sales taxes

3.87% | Florida (16th highest out of 50)

3.98% | Tennessee (14th highest out of 50)

Property taxes

2.77% | Florida (28th highest out of 50)

1.71% | Tennessee (2nd lowest out of 50… only Alabama is lower)

ANALYSIS: There is not a huge marginal difference in taxes between Tennessee and Florida, except in property taxes. In every other category, Tennessee and Florida rank similarly, but for Florida property, you’ll have to pay a higher price.

Cost of Living Comparisons

Check out more cost of living differences between these locations.

• North Carolina vs Tennessee
• Texas vs Tennessee
• California vs Tennessee
• Illinois vs Tennessee
• Kentucky vs Tennessee
• Arizona vs Tennessee

Average Monthly Utility Bills in Tennessee vs Florida

The truth is Tennessee and Florida rank similarly when it comes to utility bills. Generally, the average prices only differ by no more than $10. 

Total Utilities

$337 | Florida (10th highest out of 50)

$305 | Tennessee (24th highest out of 50)

Water Bill

$33 | Florida

$43 | Tennessee 

Electricity Bill

$129 | Florida 

$126 | Tennessee 

Distance from Tennessee to Florida

The distance between Florida and Tennessee can be pretty far, but how far exactly? The answer is…it varies.

If you were to drive between the capital cities of Nashville and Tallahassee, you would travel roughly 491 miles or 8 hours. 

But Florida and Tennessee are both wide states, so this distance could be longer or shorter. For example, if you drove from one of the cities farther east in Jacksonville, Florida to Nashville, you would drive 593 miles, about 100 more than between Tallahassee and Nashville, and a 9-hour drive without any stops. On the flip side, if you drove from Nashville to Orlando, a city farther south in Florida, you would drive 687 miles in about 10 hours. 

Because Florida and Tennessee are both such large states, the distance between travel destinations can differ by over 1,000 miles. The cost of living in Florida vs Tennessee might not be a huge difference but its more about the people and nature as well as the culture in Tennessee that has brought so many people here.

Is There a Time Change Between Tennessee and Florida?

Parts of Tennessee and Florida are in the same time zone, Eastern Standard Time (EST). For the most part, though, you will find that they are in different time zones. 

Middle and West Tennessee operate on Central Standard Time (CST), so you would be one hour behind Florida time. If you move to East Tennessee, however, you will stay in the same time zone as Florida. Cities like Knoxville, Johnson City, and Chattanooga are all in East Tennessee and operate on EST. 

Living in Tennessee vs Florida

Pace of Life

Since Tennessee and Florida are both in the south, some parts of the pace of life in both states are going to be similar, but with Florida’s beaches and nightlife, lots of areas in Florida have a different vibe than Tennessee’s small mountain towns.

Outdoor Activities 

In Tennessee, there are so many opportunities to find activities outside. One of the top activities would be hiking. Tennessee has so many opportunities for hiking; if you are looking for something close by, you are sure to find some trails to hike, or if you are wanting to travel an hour or two, there are so many more trails to choose from!

A summer activity would be finding a lake nearby. Depending on where you live in Tennessee, you could be close to a lake or a short drive away; either way, lake days in Tennessee are some of the best days spent with friends and family that will resemble those days at the beaches in Florida. Are you ready to pack up and make the move to Tennessee?