The cheapest metro cities to start a business with five full-time employees in a 1,000-square-foot office are:
1. Chattanooga, $235,873
2. Greensboro, North Carolina, $238,989
3. Wichita, Kansas, $239,199
4. Little Rock, Arkansas, $240,034
5. Columbia, South Carolina, $240,899
6. Lexington, Kentucky, $241,020
7. New Orleans, $241,128
8. Knoxville, $242,283
9. Memphis, $245,181
10. Louisville, Kentucky, $247,715
Source: SmartAsset study of 80 major U.S. cities on costs of filing fees, office space, utilities, legal and accounting costs and payroll for five full-time workers.