Louisville, KY vs Winston-Salem, NC: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Winston-Salem, NC has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% lower than Louisville, KY.

Louisville, KY · modeled 2BR rent: $1,180 / month
Winston-Salem, NC · modeled 2BR rent: $1,315 / 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 Winston-Salem, NC 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 Louisville, KY

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $36.54/month in Winston-Salem, NC

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $149,562 in Winston-Salem, NC

Regional cost estimates: Louisville, KY uses Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 1.1%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$36.54

Savings

Annual Impact

$438

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

Winston-Salem, NC

Population:250K

Cost Index:

89.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$254K

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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.

Winston-Salem, NC

The Tar Heel State

250K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in North Carolina, this city has a population of 250K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Louisville, KY vs Winston-Salem, NC

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	Louisville, KY	Winston-Salem, NC	Difference	Change
Transportation	$1,401/mo	$1,284/mo	↓ $117less	8.3%
All Utilities	$496/mo	$555/mo	↑ $58.38more	11.8%
Healthcare	$602/mo	$642/mo	↑ $39.72more	6.6%
Other	$1,699/mo	$1,681/mo	↓ $17.88less	1.1%
Housing	$2,277/mo	$2,277/mo	→ $0	0.0%
Groceries	$1,025/mo	$1,025/mo	→ $0	0.0%

Transportation

↓ 8.3%

Louisville, KY

$1,401

Winston-Salem, NC

$1,284

Difference

$117

less

All Utilities

↑ 11.8%

Louisville, KY

$496

Winston-Salem, NC

$555

Difference

$58.38

Healthcare

↑ 6.6%

Louisville, KY

$602

Winston-Salem, NC

$642

Difference

$39.72

Other

↓ 1.1%

Louisville, KY

$1,699

Winston-Salem, NC

$1,681

Difference

$17.88

less

Housing

→ 0.0%

Louisville, KY

$2,277

Winston-Salem, NC

$2,277

Difference

same

Groceries

→ 0.0%

Louisville, KY

$1,025

Winston-Salem, NC

$1,025

Difference

same

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

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

Winston-Salem, NC 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$1,065

↑ $165

1 Bed

From$970

To$1,155

↑ $185

2 Bed

From$1,180

To$1,315

↑ $135

3 Bed

From$1,510

To$1,715

↑ $205

Louisville, KYZIP-level data

1BR range: $890–$1,490/mo

Winston-Salem, NCZIP-level data

1BR range: $960–$1,260/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

$7,463

Monthly in Winston-Salem, NC

$36.54

Difference

Home Values

Louisville

Winston-Salem

$204K

Median Value

$254K

↑ +3.2%

YoY Change

↑ +0.4%

↑ +31.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +37.2%

$88K - $467K

Price Range

$168K - $363K

Homes in Winston-Salem are 24% more expensive than Louisville

Calculate payment - Louisville Calculate payment - Winston-Salem

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

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $375

Per year

Monthly Difference

$31.25

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.3%

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

Winston-Salem, NC

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

North Carolina State Tax

Effective: 4.8%

$7.1K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.4%

$44.1K

Take-Home Pay

$8,822/month

$105.9K

Additional Tax Information

Louisville, KY Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

Winston-Salem, NC Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.1%

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

Louisville, KY

19/100

1.7% sidewalk tags · 5.3% cycling tags

Winston-Salem, NC: No data yet

Environment

Louisville

Winston-Salem

50 Good

Air Quality

47 Good

50.8%

Good Air Days

57.4%

98 High

Climate Risk

92 Moderate

🌊🌡🌪

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

37 days

Heat Days >95°F

30 days

▲+2.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.8°F

37 days

Heat Days >95°F

30 days

Before moving from Louisville, KY to Winston-Salem, NC

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Winston-Salem, NC 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.
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 Louisville to Winston-Salem moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Winston-Salem, NC by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Louisville, KY vs Winston-Salem, NC

How do the cost estimates for Louisville, KY and Winston-Salem, NC compare?

Winston-Salem, NC has a modeled overall cost index 1.1% lower 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 $149,562 in Winston-Salem, NC. 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 Winston-Salem, NC?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,180/month in Louisville, KY and $1,315/month in Winston-Salem, NC. 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 North Carolina on TaxTakeHome.com