

Johnson City vs Knoxville
$25/mo more in Knoxville
Johnson CityKnoxvilleAbout 102 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Knoxville leaves you more
- No state income tax
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,404/mo in Knoxville. $2,379/mo in Johnson City. +$300 a year.
Johnson City
$2,379
left each month
Knoxville
$2,404
+$25 vs Johnson City
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 189 households moved Johnson City → Knoxville (avg AGI $54,714). 151 went the other way. The whole move →
+$25 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Johnson City | Knoxville | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,458 | $6,950 | +$492 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,216 | $1,362 | +$146 |
| Take-home pay | $5,242 | $5,588 | +$346 |
| Rent | $969 | $1,296 | +$327 |
| Getting around | $556 | $554 | −$2 |
| Groceries | $369 | $368 | −$1 |
| Healthcare | $415 | $414 | −$1 |
| Utilities | $231 | $230 | −$1 |
| Everything else | $323 | $322 | −$1 |
| Left over | $2,379 | $2,404 | +$25 |
Salary to match Johnson City
$83,000
Gross pay in Knoxville that leaves the same amount as $77,500 in Johnson City.
Tax difference
$0
A year, in state and local income tax. Tennessee has no wage income tax.
More about Knoxville
Johnson City, TN in full
No state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,154 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 23 minutes.
Knoxville, TN in full
No income tax and the Smokies out the back door.
The other way
Start in Knoxville.
Knoxville → Johnson City →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Knoxville than Johnson City?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Knoxville leaves about $25 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $969 in Johnson City and $1,296 in Knoxville.
Does Knoxville have state income tax?
Knoxville is in Tennessee, which has no state income tax.
What changes if you move from Johnson City to Knoxville?
The paycheck is taxed in Tennessee. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Johnson City and Knoxville changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.