Route comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Louisville, KY: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Indianapolis, IN and Louisville, KY. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Indianapolis, IN
IN
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 93.7
- Housing RPP
- 84.6
- Goods RPP
- 93
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,349/mo
Indiana flat income tax 3.15% + county tax.
Louisville, KY
KY
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 92.3
- Housing RPP
- 77
- Goods RPP
- 94
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,301/mo
Kentucky flat income tax 4.5%. Louisville occupational tax 2.2%.
Equivalent salary
Louisville, KY is cheaper than Indianapolis, IN by about 1.5% (RPP 93.7 to 92.3).
$60,000 in Indianapolis, IN
-> $59,104
in Louisville, KY
$100,000 in Indianapolis, IN
-> $98,506
in Louisville, KY
$150,000 in Indianapolis, IN
-> $147,759
in Louisville, KY
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
Migration signal: Indianapolis, IN vs Louisville, KY
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Indianapolis, IN
- Net people
- +2,065
- Net rank
- #25 of 65
- Top origin share
- 1%
- Top destination share
- 1%
Largest source: Cook County, IL. Largest destination: Delaware County, IN.
Louisville, KY
- Net people
- +655
- Net rank
- #26 of 65
- Top origin share
- 3%
- Top destination share
- 3%
Largest source: Hardin County, KY. Largest destination: Hardin County, KY.
Rent delta: Louisville, KY is $48/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Indianapolis, IN. Housing RPP moves from 84.6 to 77.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Louisville, KY cheaper or more expensive than Indianapolis, IN?
- Louisville, KY (RPP 92.3) is cheaper than Indianapolis, IN (RPP 93.7) by about 1.5%.
- What salary do I need in Louisville, KY if I earn $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN?
- You would need approximately $98,506 in Louisville, KY to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN. Formula: $100,000 x (92.3 / 93.7).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Indianapolis, IN or Louisville, KY?
- For 2021-2022, Indianapolis, IN had a net gain of 2,065 people, while Louisville, KY had a net gain of 655 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.