$120K in Nashville = $113,571 in Minneapolis

Your $120K salary in Nashville (COL 112) has the same purchasing power as $113,571 in Minneapolis (COL 106). Minneapolis is cheaper โ€” your money goes 5% further there.

$120K in Nashville, TN
$7,155/mo take-home
Rent: $1,800/mo (25% of take-home)
Comfortable
$113,571/yr in Minneapolis, MN
$5,835/mo take-home
Rent: $1,700/mo (29% of take-home)
Manageable

Budget breakdown โ€” $120K in both cities

What $120K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Nashville
$120K
Minneapolis
$120K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$7,155$6,165
1BR rent$1,800$1,700
Groceries$365$391
Transport$70$95
Utilities$170$195
Internet$60$65
Left after essentials$4,690/month$3,719/month
To match your Nashville purchasing power in Minneapolis, you'd need to earn $113,571/year (5% less than $120K). At that salary, you'd have $3,389/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $4,690/mo in Nashville.

Frequently asked questions

What is $120K in Nashville equivalent to in Minneapolis?

$120K in Nashville (COL index 112) has the same purchasing power as $113,571 in Minneapolis (COL index 106). That's 5% less than your current salary.

If I move from Nashville to Minneapolis keeping my $120K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $120K after moving to Minneapolis, you'd have $-971 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Minneapolis is cheaper than Nashville.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $120K ร— (106 รท 112) = $113,571. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow ยท BLS ยท Numbeo ยท Q1 2026 ยท For general guidance only