City comparison
Memphis, TN is about 200 miles (300 km) from Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 250 miles, or about 4 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Memphis, TN to Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN takes about 23 min, covering roughly 200 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) has a population of 684,103, vs 630,027 in Memphis — about the same size. By land area, Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) covers about 475 sq mi vs 290 sq mi for Memphis.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Memphis | Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,050/mo | $1,392/mo | 32.6% higher in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) |
| Median home value | $139,600 | $351,400 | 151.7% higher in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) |
| Median household income | $48,090 | $71,328 | 48.3% higher in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) |
| Groceries index | 96.4 | 96.5 | ≈ equal (Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 76.0 | 74.0 | 2.6% higher in Memphis |
| Transportation index | 95.8 | 95.6 | ≈ equal (Memphis slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 95.3 | 95.1 | ≈ equal (Memphis slightly higher) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Memphis, you'd need $111,838 in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Memphis, TN is about 10.6% cheaper overall than Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance), TN, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 31% higher in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) than in Memphis. If you earn $80,000 in Memphis, you'd need about $89,470 in Nashville-Davidson metropolitan government (balance) to keep the same standard of living.