Louisville, KY vs Jacksonville, FL: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Jacksonville, FL has a modeled overall cost index 4.4% higher than Louisville, KY.

Louisville, KY · modeled 2BR rent
$1,180 / month
Jacksonville, FL · modeled 2BR rent
$1,530 / 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 Louisville, KY and Jacksonville, FL 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

$
Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $277/month in Jacksonville, FL

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $153,328 in Jacksonville, FL

Regional cost estimates: Louisville, KY uses Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metropolitan Area. Jacksonville, FL uses Jacksonville, FL Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.
Overall Cost
↑ 4.4%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$277
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$3.3K
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.

Louisville, KY

Population:629K
Cost Index:
90.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$204K

Jacksonville, FL

Population:950K
Cost Index:
94.0
100 = national average
Typical Home:$289K

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Louisville, KY

The Bluegrass State

629K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Kentucky, this city has a population of 629K residents.

Jacksonville, FL

The Sunshine State

950K
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax

Located in Florida, this city has a population of 950K residents.

💡 Advantage: Florida has no state income tax!

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Louisville, KY vs Jacksonville, FL

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.

All Utilities
↑ 23.5%
Louisville, KY
$496
Jacksonville, FL
$613
Difference
$117
more
Housing
↑ 3.7%
Louisville, KY
$2,277
Jacksonville, FL
$2,360
Difference
$83.29
more
Groceries
↑ 6.3%
Louisville, KY
$1,025
Jacksonville, FL
$1,089
Difference
$64.05
more
Other
↑ 2.1%
Louisville, KY
$1,699
Jacksonville, FL
$1,735
Difference
$35.77
more
Transportation
↓ 2.1%
Louisville, KY
$1,401
Jacksonville, FL
$1,372
Difference
$29.19
less
Healthcare
↑ 1.1%
Louisville, KY
$602
Jacksonville, FL
$609
Difference
$6.62
more

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Louisville, KY: Louisville Occupational Tax$4,275/yr (2.9%)

Jacksonville, FL 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$900
To$1,250
↑ $350
1 Bed
From$970
To$1,270
↑ $300
2 Bed
From$1,180
To$1,530
↑ $350
3 Bed
From$1,510
To$1,890
↑ $380
Louisville, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $890–$1,490/mo

Jacksonville, FLZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$2,070/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 Louisville, KY
$7,777
Monthly in Jacksonville, FL
$277
Difference

Home Values

Louisville
Jacksonville
$204K
Median Value
$289K
↑ +3.2%
YoY Change
↓ -3.7%
↑ +31.2%
5-Year Change
↑ +31.6%
$88K - $467K
Price Range
$102K - $535K

Homes in Jacksonville are 42% more expensive than Louisville

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
↑ $7.5K
Per year
Monthly Difference
$625
More take-home
Effective Rate Diff
5.0%
Rate difference

Louisville, 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

Jacksonville, FL

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Florida State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Additional Tax Information

Louisville, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%
Property Tax:0.9%

Jacksonville, FL Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%
Property Tax:0.8%

💡 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

Environment

Louisville
Jacksonville
50 Good
Air Quality
50 Good
50.8%
Good Air Days
51.9%
98 High
Climate Risk
97 High
🌊🌡🌪
Top Hazards
🌊🌅🌀
▲+2.9°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.3°F
37 days
Heat Days >95°F
36 days
▲+2.9°F
2050 Outlook
▲+2.3°F
37 days
Heat Days >95°F
36 days

Before moving from Louisville, KY to Jacksonville, FL

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

  1. Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Jacksonville, FL for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Louisville, KY. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Louisville to Jacksonville moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Jacksonville, FL by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Louisville, KY vs Jacksonville, FL

How do the cost estimates for Louisville, KY and Jacksonville, FL compare?

Jacksonville, FL has a modeled overall cost index 4.4% higher than Louisville, 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 Louisville, KY, the model estimates $153,328 in Jacksonville, FL. 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 Louisville, KY and Jacksonville, FL?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,180/month in Louisville, KY and $1,530/month in Jacksonville, FL. 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 Florida on TaxTakeHome.com

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