Route comparison
Nashville, TN vs Louisville, KY: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Nashville, TN and Louisville, KY. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Nashville, TN
TN
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 96.6
- Housing RPP
- 105.8
- Goods RPP
- 94.4
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,619/mo
Tennessee has no state income tax on wages.
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 Nashville, TN by about 4.5% (RPP 96.6 to 92.3).
$60,000 in Nashville, TN
-> $57,329
in Louisville, KY
$100,000 in Nashville, TN
-> $95,549
in Louisville, KY
$150,000 in Nashville, TN
-> $143,323
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: Nashville, TN vs Louisville, KY
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Nashville, TN
- Net people
- +15,937
- Net rank
- #11 of 65
- Top origin share
- 2%
- Top destination share
- 4%
Largest source: Montgomery County, TN. Largest destination: Montgomery County, TN.
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 $318/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Nashville, TN. Housing RPP moves from 105.8 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 Nashville, TN?
- Louisville, KY (RPP 92.3) is cheaper than Nashville, TN (RPP 96.6) by about 4.5%.
- What salary do I need in Louisville, KY if I earn $100,000 in Nashville, TN?
- You would need approximately $95,549 in Louisville, KY to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Nashville, TN. Formula: $100,000 x (92.3 / 96.6).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Nashville, TN or Louisville, KY?
- For 2021-2022, Nashville, TN had a net gain of 15,937 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.