Nashville vs Louisville
Nashville, TN · Louisville, KY
Louisville is 22% cheaper than Nashville overall.
Home Price
Nashville: $445,000
Louisville: $235,000
Monthly Rent
Nashville: $1,556/mo
Louisville: $895/mo
COL Index
Nashville: 112
Louisville: 87
Median Income
Nashville: $72,200
Louisville: $59,600
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Nashville has the same purchasing power as $77,679 in Louisville — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Louisville cost 47% more (-$210,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Louisville saves you $661/month — $7,932 per year. Median rent: $1,556/mo in Nashville vs $895/mo in Louisville.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Nashville owners pay roughly $3,071/year in property taxes vs $1,951/year in Louisville. That's a $1,120 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $72,200 in Nashville and $59,600 in Louisville. Louisville residents earn 17% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 27 minutes in Nashville vs 23 minutes in Louisville. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Nashville to Louisville, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Nashville | Equivalent in Louisville | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $38,839 | -$11,161 |
| $75,000 | $58,259 | -$16,741 |
| $100,000 | $77,679 | -$22,321 |
| $150,000 | $116,518 | -$33,482 |
| $200,000 | $155,357 | -$44,643 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Nashville Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Nashville vs Louisville: Common Questions
Is Nashville or Louisville cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Louisville is cheaper overall. Nashville has a COL index of 112 while Louisville scores 87 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Nashville and Louisville?
The median home price in Nashville is $445,000 vs $235,000 in Louisville — a difference of $210,000 (47%).
What salary do I need in Louisville to match my Nashville income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Nashville is equivalent to $77,679 in Louisville in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Nashville has a lower property tax rate (0.69% vs 0.83%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $1,951/year vs $3,071/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.