Forrest City, AR vs Nashville, TN: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Nashville, TN has a modeled overall cost index 30.8% higher than Forrest City, AR.

Forrest City, AR · modeled 2BR rent
$940 / month
Nashville, TN · modeled 2BR rent
$1,840 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

Adjust your income and compare the budget ↓
Tap to swap

Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Forrest City, AR and Nashville, TN using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $2,273/month in Nashville, TN

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $177,277 in Nashville, TN

Regional cost estimates: Forrest City, AR uses Memphis, TN. Nashville, TN uses Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin, TN Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 30.8%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$2,273
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$27.3K
Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Forrest City, AR

Population:12K
Cost Index:
78.8
100 = national average
Typical Home:$66K

Nashville, TN

Population:689K
Cost Index:
103.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$489K

Planning the move to Nashville?

Organize packing, address changes, and moving-day tasks with a free checklist. Your progress saves in this browser. No account needed.

Plan my move with the free checklist

Forrest City, AR

The Natural State

12K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Arkansas, this city has a population of 12K residents.

Nashville, TN

The Volunteer State

689K
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax
Climate
Humid subtropical

Notable Facts

  • •Music City USA
  • •Country music capital
  • •Healthcare industry hub

Major Industries

Music IndustryHealthcareTourismFinance

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Forrest City, AR vs Nashville, TN

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Housing
↑ 74.3%
Forrest City, AR
$1,869
Nashville, TN
$3,258
Difference
$1,389
more
Other
↑ 26.7%
Forrest City, AR
$1,884
Nashville, TN
$2,387
Difference
$502
more
Transportation
↑ 12.8%
Forrest City, AR
$1,399
Nashville, TN
$1,578
Difference
$179
more
Healthcare
↑ 20.5%
Forrest City, AR
$619
Nashville, TN
$746
Difference
$127
more
Groceries
↑ 5.6%
Forrest City, AR
$1,105
Nashville, TN
$1,167
Difference
$61.92
more
All Utilities
↑ 2.3%
Forrest City, AR
$623
Nashville, TN
$638
Difference
$14.58
more

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio
From$670
To$1,600
↑ $930
1 Bed
From$720
To$1,680
↑ $960
2 Bed
From$940
To$1,840
↑ $900
3 Bed
From$1,180
To$2,350
↑ $1,170
Forrest City, ARZIP-level data

1BR range: $720–$720/mo

Nashville, TNZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,320–$2,230/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500
Monthly in Forrest City, AR
$9,773
Monthly in Nashville, TN
$2,273
Difference

Home Values

Forrest City
Nashville
$66K
Median Value
$489K
↓ -9.9%
YoY Change
↓ -2.1%
↓ -8.3%
5-Year Change
↑ +32.1%
$66K
Price Range
$320K - $1.16M

Homes in Nashville are 636% more expensive than Forrest City

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $9.0K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$752
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
6.0%
Rate difference

Forrest City, AR

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Arkansas State Tax
Effective: 6.0%
$9.0K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 30.7%
$46.0K
Take-Home Pay
$8,664/month
$104.0K

Nashville, TN

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Tennessee State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Forrest City, AR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.4%
Property Tax:0.6%

Nashville, TN Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.5%
Property Tax:0.7%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Forrest City
Nashville
55 Moderate
Air Quality
50 Good
34.4%
Good Air Days
51.6%
99 High
Climate Risk
97 High
🌊🌡🫨
Top Hazards
🌊🫨🌪
▲+2.8°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.8°F
54 days
Heat Days >95°F
42 days
▲+2.8°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.8°F
54 days
Heat Days >95°F
42 days

Before moving from Forrest City, AR to Nashville, TN

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Nashville, TN for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Forrest City, AR. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
  3. Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Forrest City to Nashville moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Nashville, TN by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Forrest City, AR vs Nashville, TN

How do the cost estimates for Forrest City, AR and Nashville, TN compare?

Nashville, TN has a modeled overall cost index 30.8% higher than Forrest City, AR. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Forrest City, AR, the model estimates $177,277 in Nashville, TN. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Forrest City, AR and Nashville, TN?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $940/month in Forrest City, AR and $1,840/month in Nashville, TN. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Arkansas and Tennessee on TaxTakeHome.com

Similar cost to Nashville, TN

Other cities in a similar price range

Want to compare different cities?

New Comparison