How much does it cost to commute in Nashville?
In the Nashville metro area, households spend about 45.0% of income on the combined cost of housing and transportation, with transportation alone accounting for roughly 20.0% of income — about $15,659 per year for a typical household. (Source: CNT Housing + Transportation Affordability Index, area-median-income household.)
Public-transit fares near downtown Nashville range from $19.00 to $86.00, with a median single-trip fare of $44.00 (priced fares in the data cover Groome Transportation) and 124 priced origin-destination fare pairs in the data.
Driving downtown means paying about $25.84 a day to park (median of 40 sampled garages). On a simple daily round-trip basis from the data here, the lowest-cost option is driving and parking at about $25.84 per day.
Cost by mode in Nashville
Daily round-trip cost, lowest first. All figures.
| Mode | Daily round trip | How it's priced |
|---|---|---|
| Drive (park + toll)Cheapest | $25.84 | downtown parking $25.84/day |
| Public transit | $88.00 | 2 x median transit fare ($44.00) |
Public transit fares
| Agency | Fares | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groome Transportation | 134 | $44.00 | $19.00–$86.00 |
Downtown parking
Housing + Transportation affordability
The widely cited affordability benchmark is 45% for housing + transportation combined. Source: CNT H+T Index (AMI household). Typical household drives 19,543 miles/yr.
The numbers above are metro-wide medians. Enter your real origin and destination to compare drive, transit, park-and-ride, bike, and Uber by actual dollars — gas, tolls, parking, and fares included.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to commute by transit in Nashville?
The median single-trip transit fare in the Nashville area is $44.00, ranging from $19.00 to $86.00 depending on the agency and trip distance. A daily round trip costs roughly $88.00.
Is it cheaper to drive or take transit in Nashville?
Taking transit costs about $88.00 for a daily round trip, while driving and parking downtown costs about $25.84 per day (parking $25.84). Driving is the cheaper option on a daily basis.
How much is daily parking in downtown Nashville?
Downtown Nashville parking costs about $25.84 per day, or $180.25 per month for a reserved spot, based on 40 sampled garages.
What share of income goes to housing and transportation in Nashville?
In the Nashville metro, a typical household spends about 45.0% of income on housing and transportation combined, with 20.0% on transportation alone — roughly $15,659 per year. The widely cited affordability benchmark is 45% for H+T combined.