Living Cost Compare
Houston

Texas

$1,350/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 $1,350 in Houston, TX versus $1,040 in Louisville, KY. Overall, Louisville, KY is roughly 23% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Houston, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $62,894 in Houston, TX and $64,731 in Louisville, KY — about 3% higher in Louisville, KY. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Kentucky has a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax.

Houston, TX
Louisville, KY

Rent

Studio
$1,142
$786
+31% in Houston, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,156
$877
+24% in Houston, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,375
$1,096
+20% in Houston, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,664
$1,299
+22% in Houston, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$253,400
$221,500
+13% in Houston, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$62,894
$64,731
+3% in Louisville, KY
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,410
$48,370
+2% in Houston, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.3 yr
37.7 yr
+3.4 yr in Louisville, KY
Homeownership
42.0%
60.6%
+18.6 pp in Louisville, KY
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.0%
33.4%
+2.6 pp in Houston, TX
Avg Commute
27.3 min
22.7 min
+4.6 min in Houston, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,155.2
761.5
+34% in Houston, TX
Property Crime
4,325.3
3,535.4
+18% in Houston, TX

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.3°F
58.2°F
+12.1°F in Houston, TX
Annual Precipitation
54.6 in
44.9 in
+9.7 in in Houston, TX

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$4.35/gal
+13% in Louisville, KY

Area: Houston vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$1.75
+40% in Louisville, KY

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
14.9
+9% in Houston, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.61
$19.12
+22% in Houston, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.16
$4.16
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.73
$1.73
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.56
$6.56
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.61
$0.61
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / KY)
6.25%
6%
+0.3 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.50%
+3.5 pp in KY

Houston vs Louisville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Houston or Louisville?
Louisville, KY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,040 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 23% below Houston, TX's $1,350, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Houston than in Louisville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Houston versus $35,000 in Louisville.
Which has lower taxes, Houston or Louisville?
Houston is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).