Route comparison
Louisville, KY vs Cincinnati, OH: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Louisville, KY and Cincinnati, OH. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
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%.
Cincinnati, OH
OH
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 93.5
- Housing RPP
- 83.7
- Goods RPP
- 92.4
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,195/mo
Ohio income tax 0%-3.75%. Cincinnati city income tax 1.8%.
Equivalent salary
Cincinnati, OH is more expensive than Louisville, KY by about 1.3% (RPP 92.3 to 93.5).
$60,000 in Louisville, KY
-> $60,780
in Cincinnati, OH
$100,000 in Louisville, KY
-> $101,300
in Cincinnati, OH
$150,000 in Louisville, KY
-> $151,950
in Cincinnati, OH
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: Louisville, KY vs Cincinnati, OH
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Louisville, 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.
Cincinnati, OH
- Net people
- −104
- Net rank
- #33 of 65
- Top origin share
- 4%
- Top destination share
- 4%
Largest source: Montgomery County, OH. Largest destination: Montgomery County, OH.
Rent delta: Cincinnati, OH is $106/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Louisville, KY. Housing RPP moves from 77 to 83.7.
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 Cincinnati, OH cheaper or more expensive than Louisville, KY?
- Cincinnati, OH (RPP 93.5) is more expensive than Louisville, KY (RPP 92.3) by about 1.3%.
- What salary do I need in Cincinnati, OH if I earn $100,000 in Louisville, KY?
- You would need approximately $101,300 in Cincinnati, OH to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Louisville, KY. Formula: $100,000 x (93.5 / 92.3).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Louisville, KY or Cincinnati, OH?
- For 2021-2022, Louisville, KY had a net gain of 655 people, while Cincinnati, OH had a net loss of 104 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.