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Cost of living in Chattanooga, TN

Compared with New York. Change city

$1,907a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $22,883 a year, enough to cover 10 months of the mortgage in Chattanooga. The average commute is 12 minutes shorter each way, about 2 hours a week back4.

Typical home $395,000 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $1,313 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Walnut Street Bridge at sunset, ChattanoogaSarah Swainson / Unsplash
All cities
  • Mountains and trailsLookout Mountain and the Tennessee River Gorge
  • On the waterTennessee River

Chattanooga at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
Chattanooga$2,171/mo
$395,000 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
Chattanooga$1,313/mo
About $684 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in Chattanooga

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs623% cheaper than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$121,884
Chattanooga in a paragraph

The median listed home in Chattanooga is $395,000 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 6% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,171 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,313 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 91.5, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $121,884 here.

Weather

8
  • 32.4°January low
  • 90.5°July high
  • 3.6 inSnow per year

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
Chattanooga$395,000
47% less, a $347,000 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
Chattanooga$210
2.4 times the space for the money

Your New York, in Chattanooga

We're matching Chattanooga's parks, museums, arenas and food halls to their New York counterparts. Until then, see how it works for Raleigh.

See how Chattanooga ranks for your household

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Is Chattanooga a good place to live?

Chattanooga fits families who want prices 9% below the US average and homes list 6% below the US median. The main trade-off is hot summers. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Prices 9% below the US averageEveryday prices, rent included, index at 91.5 against a US average of 100.BEA regional price parities, 2024
  • Homes list 6% below the US median$395,000 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
  • Mild wintersJanuary lows average 32.4°F with 3.6 inches of snow a year.NOAA 1991-2020 normals
  • Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom CHA to LGA, EWR.Airport route page, accessed October 14, 2026
Show 2 more
  • Mountains and trails close byLookout Mountain and the Tennessee River GorgeSlower Sundays city profile
  • On the waterTennessee RiverSlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Hot summersJuly highs average 90.5°F.NOAA 1991-2020 normals

More on Chattanooga and Tennessee

Show 9 links

Chattanooga cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in Chattanooga, TN?

The median listed home in Chattanooga is $395,000 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 6% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,171 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,313 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 91.5, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $121,884 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to Chattanooga?

The median listed home is $395,000 in Chattanooga against $742,000 in the New York metro, 47% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $1,907 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in Chattanooga?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the Chattanooga metro is $1,313 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $684 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in Chattanooga matches $150,000 in New York?

$121,884. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (91.5 in Chattanooga, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does Chattanooga pay you to move there?

None of the relocation incentive programs we track cover Chattanooga as of October 2026.

What is the weather like in Chattanooga?

January lows average 32.4°F and July highs 90.5°F, with 3.6 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  8. 8Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport.
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