Living Cost Compare
Denver

Colorado

$1,750/mo est.

vs
Louisville

Kentucky

$1,040/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,750 in Denver, CO versus $1,040 in Louisville, KY. Overall, Louisville, KY is roughly 41% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Denver, CO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,681 in Denver, CO and $64,731 in Louisville, KY — about 29% higher in Denver, CO. Colorado has a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax; Kentucky has a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax.

Denver, CO
Louisville, KY

Rent

Studio
$1,497
$786
+47% in Denver, CO
1 Bedroom
$1,583
$877
+45% in Denver, CO
2 Bedroom
$1,958
$1,096
+44% in Denver, CO
3 Bedroom
$2,269
$1,299
+43% in Denver, CO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$586,700
$221,500
+62% in Denver, CO

Income

Median Household Income
$91,681
$64,731
+29% in Denver, CO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$62,320
$48,370
+22% in Denver, CO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.2 yr
37.7 yr
+2.5 yr in Louisville, KY
Homeownership
49.1%
60.6%
+11.5 pp in Louisville, KY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
55.6%
33.4%
+22.2 pp in Denver, CO
Avg Commute
25.4 min
22.7 min
+2.7 min in Denver, CO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
998.3
761.5
+24% in Denver, CO
Property Crime
4,781.9
3,535.4
+26% in Denver, CO

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
50.2°F
58.2°F
+8.0°F in Louisville, KY
Annual Precipitation
15.6 in
44.9 in
+29.3 in in Louisville, KY

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.58/gal
$4.35/gal
+5% in Denver, CO

Area: Denver vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.75
$1.75
+36% in Denver, CO

Adult base one-way fare — RTD vs TARC (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.7
14.9
+11% in Denver, CO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.64
$19.12
+64% in Louisville, KY

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.16
+5% in Denver, CO
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$1.73
+18% in Denver, CO
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.19
+3% in Denver, CO
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$6.56
+9% in Denver, CO
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$1.90
+11% in Denver, CO
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.61
+17% in Denver, CO

Average prices — West vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CO / KY)
2.9%
6%
+3.1 pp in KY
Income Tax (top rate)
4.40%
3.50%
+0.9 pp in CO

Denver vs Louisville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Denver or Louisville?
Louisville, KY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,040 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Denver, CO's $1,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Denver than in Louisville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $63,000 a year in Denver versus $35,000 in Louisville.
Which has lower taxes, Denver or Louisville?
Denver is taxed under Colorado's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.40% and a 2.9% state sales tax); Louisville under Kentucky's (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).