Lexington, KY vs Baton Rouge, LA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Baton Rouge, LA has a modeled overall cost index 2.2% lower than Lexington, KY.

Lexington, KY · modeled 2BR rent: $1,390 / month
Baton Rouge, LA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,275 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Lexington, KY and Baton Rouge, LA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Lexington, KY

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $117/month in Baton Rouge, LA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $148,593 in Baton Rouge, LA

Regional cost estimates: Baton Rouge, LA uses Baton Rouge, LA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 2.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$117

Savings

Annual Impact

$1.4K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Lexington, KY

Population:323K

Cost Index:

93.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$345K

Baton Rouge, LA

Population:227K

Cost Index:

91.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$234K

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Lexington, KY

The Bluegrass State

323K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Kentucky, this city has a population of 323K residents.

Baton Rouge, LA

The Pelican State

227K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Louisiana, this city has a population of 227K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Lexington, KY vs Baton Rouge, LA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Lexington, KY	Baton Rouge, LA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,446/mo	$2,229/mo	↓ $217less	8.9%
Other	$1,716/mo	$1,839/mo	↑ $123more	7.1%
Healthcare	$577/mo	$493/mo	↓ $84.25less	14.6%
Transportation	$1,272/mo	$1,300/mo	↑ $28.58more	2.2%
All Utilities	$486/mo	$509/mo	↑ $22.86more	4.7%
Groceries	$1,003/mo	$1,014/mo	↑ $10.45more	1.0%

Housing

↓ 8.9%

Lexington, KY

$2,446

Baton Rouge, LA

$2,229

Difference

$217

less

Other

↑ 7.1%

Lexington, KY

$1,716

Baton Rouge, LA

$1,839

Difference

$123

Healthcare

↓ 14.6%

Lexington, KY

$577

Baton Rouge, LA

$493

Difference

$84.25

less

Transportation

↑ 2.2%

Lexington, KY

$1,272

Baton Rouge, LA

$1,300

Difference

$28.58

All Utilities

↑ 4.7%

Lexington, KY

$486

Baton Rouge, LA

$509

Difference

$22.86

Groceries

↑ 1.0%

Lexington, KY

$1,003

Baton Rouge, LA

$1,014

Difference

$10.45

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Lexington, KY: Lexington Occupational Tax$3,750/yr (2.5%)

Baton Rouge, LA has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$960

To$1,090

↑ $130

1 Bed

From$1,180

To$1,125

↓ $55.00

2 Bed

From$1,390

To$1,275

↓ $115

3 Bed

From$1,900

To$1,600

↓ $300

Lexington, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $940–$1,500/mo

Baton Rouge, LAZIP-level data

1BR range: $980–$1,600/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Lexington, KY

$7,383

Monthly in Baton Rouge, LA

$117

Difference

Home Values

Lexington

Baton Rouge

$345K

Median Value

$234K

↑ +5%

YoY Change

↓ -1.9%

↑ +43.5%

5-Year Change

↑ +15.3%

$214K - $711K

Price Range

$64K - $344K

Homes in Baton Rouge are 32% less expensive than Lexington

Calculate payment - Lexington Calculate payment - Baton Rouge

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $250

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$20.83

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.2%

Rate difference

Lexington, KY

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Kentucky State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

Baton Rouge, LA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Louisiana State Tax

Effective: 5.2%

$7.8K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.8%

$44.8K

Take-Home Pay

$8,770/month

$105.2K

Additional Tax Information

Lexington, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Baton Rouge, LA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.6%

Property Tax:0.5%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Lexington, KY

27/100

1.1% sidewalk tags · 2.9% cycling tags

Baton Rouge, LA: No data yet

Environment

Lexington

Baton Rouge

41 Good

Air Quality

51 Moderate

79.2%

Good Air Days

48.9%

92 Moderate

Climate Risk

98 High

🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.2°F

21 days

Heat Days >95°F

51 days

▲+3.0°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.2°F

21 days

Heat Days >95°F

51 days

Before moving from Lexington, KY to Baton Rouge, LA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Baton Rouge, LA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Lexington, KY. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Lexington to Baton Rouge moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Baton Rouge, LA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Lexington, KY vs Baton Rouge, LA

How do the cost estimates for Lexington, KY and Baton Rouge, LA compare?

Baton Rouge, LA has a modeled overall cost index 2.2% lower than Lexington, KY. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Lexington, KY, the model estimates $148,593 in Baton Rouge, LA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Lexington, KY and Baton Rouge, LA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,390/month in Lexington, KY and $1,275/month in Baton Rouge, LA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Kentucky and Louisiana on TaxTakeHome.com