40K A year in Nashville? (sales, apartment, vehicle registration)

[Teebyrd86]

Hey Nashville thread, I am currently living in Northern Va.; looking to escape as fast a possible. I am going in for an interview with a company for a job in Nashville on Tuesday. My current salary here is roughly 67k a year with bonuses. The person I spoke to on the phone stated the top pay for this position is around 40k a year. That is a huge pay cut but I realize the cost of living is much higher in Nova thus the reasoning for the higher pay. I am a single guy (27) with no family. I have a car payment ($450)and currently pay $1400 a month for a small apartment. I guess you can say I am use to having extra spending money and enjoy to spend a little extra on splurging than I have to. I guess my question is will I be able to live a good life in Nashville on this salary or should I ask for more money if I get offered the job?

Thank you kindly for your help.

[Serious Conversation]

Expect to pay between $800-$1200 for a similar apartment depending on location (inside 440 or more remote) depending on amenities. Nashville is cheaper than NoVA, by far, but it is not cheap relative to other parts of the state or even the Southeast regionally.

TN has no state income tax, so you will lose that expense. TN also has a much cheaper vehicle registration, but sales tax is considerably higher.

I wouldn't go from $67k to $40k. The cost of living difference will not nearly make up for the decline in income. You will also be negotiating upward from $40k instead of $67k for future jobs. This is a bad move - don't do it

[N.Cal]

I wouldn't go from $67k to $40k.

Agreed. I have a few co-workers who took a little cut (not as much as you would) to move here and they were unpleasantly surprised that the COL wasn't as cheap as claimed to be.

[CountryGirl2b=]

The 'bargain' in Middle TN compared to some other states is if you buy a house. Otherwise, I don't think the cost of living is as cheap as people think it will be. Property taxes were when I moved here from CT, and electricity. Milder climate so you don't need as much heat, but you will use the A/C more. There are websites that will do the math for you for comparable salaries and I agree that $40,000 is too much of a drop to be 'comparable". Just my opinion . . . . .

[Teebyrd86]

Thanks for the quick responses. I am not only escaping the higher cost of living there are other reasons. So What would recommend I ask for as far as pay so I can live comfortably. $50k?

[Beat02]

No less than 50k.

[CountryGirl2b=]

You could live comfortably on $40k - but probably not as well as you are living with $67k in "Nova". Of course, it's not apples to oranges and I, personally, love living here. And, in truth, money isn't everything. But go into the interview knowing that the two salaries are not comparable in light of the difference in the cost of living. But you said $67k included bonuses . . so maybe you will get more of those here?

You'll find it more relaxed, I am guessing. Lots of music. Milder temps. Friendly people. And it's a city on the rise, I think.

Restaurant food and moonshine might be slightly cheaper . . . .

GOOD LUCK WITH THE JOB INTERVIEW!!!

[N.Cal]

Restaurant food and moonshine might be slightly cheaper

Actually not for good restaurants.

And alcohol here is taxed extra.

[BirdieBelle]

I dont think you'd have that much extra spending money.

Your car payment already is high, and Nashville has one of the highest cost per commuters in the US. Rents are high and climbing. Electricity is expensive and getting to be more so. A lot of my answer would depend on where your job is located.

[alleycat]

A lot goes in to deciding where to live besides salary, but unless I just absolutely couldn't stand living somewhere I wouldn't take that much of a pay cut. The difference in cost-of-living won't make up for a 40% pay cut.

After your interview and visit you can decide if you think you'd enjoy living in Nashville and working for whatever company you're interviewing with. You might decide it's still worth the move, but realize you will be living on much less than you're used to, even adjusting for some COL differences (which are probably less than what you have heard elsewhere). A single person can certainly live decently here on 40k, but there probably won't be a new Lexus every two years in your future.