The average cost of living in Louisville, KY is $1,585.73 per month.
Louisville is the largest city in Kentucky, the sixteenth largest in the United States, and one of Kentucky’s best places to live. Louisville is mainly known for its horse racing and its delicious fried chicken. The first reported horse races occurred on Market Street in the late 1700s, before constructing racecourses such as Elm Tree Gardens and Oakland Race Course, which were predecessors to Churchill Downs.
In addition, Louisville is home to Yum Brands, one of the world’s largest fast-food companies. The company owns KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. Moving to Kentucky is a good idea because it has a generally lower cost of living than the national average, making the city affordable. Want to know more? Here’s the cost of living in Louisville.
Methodology
The main data collection source for this article is Numbeo and trusted city-related websites, including Transit Authority of River City and City of Louisville, KY. The costs presented are estimates and pertain to an individual living alone on a monthly basis.
Cost of Living in Louisville, KY – 2024
Housing costs in Louisville, KY
Cost of rent in Louisville, KY
|
Area/Neighborhood |
1-bed apartment |
3-bed apartment |
|
Louisville, KY (Outside of Center) |
$928.64 |
$1,850.00 |
Cost of buying a property in Louisville, KY
|
Area/Neighborhood |
Average home price |
|
Louisville, KY |
$233,462 |
Utility costs in Louisville, KY: Internet, electricity and water
As with almost everything else, electricity costs in Louisville, KY, are lower when compared to the rest of the country. Although Louisville practices deregulated electricity supply, residents can buy power from any company of their choice; utility company Louisville Gas & Electric, or LG&E, is still considered the primary electricity provider in Louisville.
In Louisville, KY, the average residential electricity rate is 24.24% lower than the national average of 11.88¢/kWh. Residential rates across the U.S. vary from 8.37¢/kWh to 37.34¢/kWh.
|
Utilities |
Cost |
|
Basic (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) for 915 sq ft Apartment |
$203.20 |
|
Internet (60 Mbps or More, Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) |
$60.33 |
|
Total |
$263.53 |
Electricity Local (Oct 2023) & Numbeo (Oct 2023)
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Grocery costs in Louisville, KY
The low cost of living in Louisville is also reflected in the groceries. When compared to the national average, grocery costs in Louisville, KY, are much lower. Louisville also performs better than most cities in the country when it comes to affordable groceries.
A single person in Louisville, KY may spend around $247.56 monthly on groceries.
|
Grocery items in Louisville, KY |
Cost |
|
Milk (regular), (1 gallon) |
$2.48 |
|
Loaf of Fresh White Bread (1 lb) |
$2.40 |
|
Rice (white) (1 lb) |
$1.60 |
|
Eggs (regular) (12) |
$2.74 |
|
Local Cheese (1 lb) |
$6.62 |
|
Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
$4.51 |
|
Beef Round (1 lb) |
$6.92 |
|
Apples (1 lb) |
$2.45 |
|
Banana (1 lb) |
$0.74 |
|
Oranges (1 lb) |
$2.77 |
|
Tomato (1 lb) |
$2.47 |
|
Potato (1 lb) |
$1.16 |
|
Onion (1 lb) |
$1.55 |
|
Lettuce (1 head) |
$1.82 |
|
Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
$15.00 |
|
Domestic Beer (0.5 liter bottle) |
$2.36 |
|
Imported Beer (12 oz small bottle) |
$4.30 |
Public transit in Louisville, KY
In Louisville, KY, public transportation is provided by the Transit Authority of River City (TARC), which operates in Bullitt, Jefferson, and Oldham counties in Kentucky, as well as Floyd and Clark counties in Indiana. TARC operates a fleet of over 200 buses. Transit is very affordable in Louisville, see details below.
|
Type of fare |
Rate |
|
Single ticket |
$1.75 |
|
Daily pass |
$3.50 |
|
Weekly pass |
$15.00 |
|
Monthly pass |
$50.00 |
Transit Authority of River City (Oct 2023)
Entertainment costs in Louisville, KY
As the largest city in Kentucky, Louisville offers an array of fun and exciting things, ranging from sports to walks in the park to dining or seeing a movie. Entertainment costs in Louisville, KY, vary from free to cheap to affordable, depending on what activities you decide on doing.
|
Entertainment in Louisville, KY |
Cost |
|
Mid-range restaurant meal |
$38.75 |
|
Taxi 1h |
$21.00 |
|
1 cinema ticket |
$12.25 |
|
Total |
$72.00 |
Sales tax in Louisville, KY
Louisville’s 6% sales tax is solely the Kentucky state sales tax, with no additional county, city, or special taxes applied.
City of Louisville, KY (Oct 2023)
Healthcare costs in Louisville, KY
Healthcare costs in Louisville, KY, are in accordance with the state’s policies. Medicare and Medicaid provide coverage to residents of Louisville and all of Kentucky state. As a result of the Obamacare or Affordable Care Act (ACA), the state expanded Medicaid coverage to include individuals and families whose incomes were close to the federal poverty guideline.
It also made healthcare more accessible to those with pre-existing health conditions. Typically, employers are required to contribute at least 50% of employee health insurance premiums. Residents can also get estimated quotes for healthcare on the Healthcare.gov website.
|
Type of healthcare |
Cost |
|
Employer-sponsored health insurance |
$215.00 |
|
Non-employer-sponsored health insurance (average cheapest) |
$449.75 |
|
Gym |
$24.00 |
Numbeo (Oct 2023), Value Penguin (Oct 2023) & EHealthInsurance (Oct 2023)
Conclusion
Louisville, Kentucky, is undoubtedly an affordable place to live. The cost of living sits below the national average and below that of many other cities in the country. It’s no surprise why people think about moving to Kentucky; Louisville is not just an affordable place to live, it’s also a friendly and safe city.
Louisville also offers excellent employment opportunities in diverse industries such as shipping and logistics, healthcare and medical science, product manufacturing, and entrepreneurship.
Are you planning to move to Louisville, KY, soon? Make your move easier by hiring one of the best moving companies in Louisville, KY. Save yourself from the hassle or all the heavy lifting and choose to move in comfort.
|
Category |
Monthly cost |
|
1 bed apt rent outside city center |
$928.64 |
|
Groceries Numbeo’s grocery list ($61.89 multiplied by 4) |
$247.56 |
|
Utilities Electricity, heating, cooling, water, garbage |
$203.20 |
|
Internet with 60 Mbps |
$60.33 |
|
Transit pass |
$50.00 |
|
Entertainment Meal, taxi, movie |
$72.00 |
|
Gym membership |
$24.00 |
|
Total |
$1,585.73 |
