CostIndexUSA

El Paso, TX vs Knoxville, TN Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
El Paso
89.9
overall index
$1,500/mo rent
TN
Knoxville
92.6
overall index
$1,725/mo rent

El Paso is slightly cheaper than Knoxville — 3.0% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in El Paso, you would need $82,400 in Knoxville. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+16.3%
El Paso
71.2
Knoxville
82.8
🛒 Groceries+2.6%
El Paso
93.8
Knoxville
96.2
🚗 Transportation1.2%
El Paso
101.1
Knoxville
99.9
🏥 Healthcare1.1%
El Paso
91.4
Knoxville
90.4
Utilities13.0%
El Paso
82.6
Knoxville
71.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in El Paso to see what you'd need to earn in Knoxville to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Knoxville, TN
$82,400
$2,400 more needed in Knoxville

Formula: salary × (92.6 ÷ 89.9) = salary × 1.0300. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

El Paso, TX

Median Home Price
$226,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Housing Index
71.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
12.6×

Knoxville, TN

Median Home Price
$352,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,725
Housing Index
82.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.0×

Knoxville has 16.3% higher housing costs compared to El Paso.

Income & Job Market

El Paso, TX

Median Household Income
$59,000
Per Capita Income
$33,600
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
678,815
Top Industries
GovernmentMilitaryHealthcareRetailManufacturing

Knoxville, TN

Median Household Income
$69,900
Per Capita Income
$39,800
Unemployment Rate
3.2%
Population
190,740
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingTourismGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

El Paso, TX
3.3×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

Knoxville, TN
3.4×income-to-rent ratio

70% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.