Is it cheaper to live in Louisville or Pittsburgh?

Louisville, KY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Pittsburgh, PA's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Louisville than in Pittsburgh?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in Louisville versus $43,000 in Pittsburgh.

Which has lower taxes, Louisville or Pittsburgh?

Louisville is taxed under Kentucky's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax); Pittsburgh under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax).

Louisville vs Pittsburgh Cost of Living 2026

Louisville

Kentucky

$1,060/mo est.

Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,060 in Louisville, KY versus $1,300 in Pittsburgh, PA. Overall, Louisville, KY is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Pittsburgh, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,731 in Louisville, KY and $64,137 in Pittsburgh, PA — about 1% higher in Louisville, KY. Kentucky has a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Louisville, KY

Pittsburgh, PA

Rent

Studio

$786

$1,109

+41% in Pittsburgh, PA

1 Bedroom

$877

$1,079

+23% in Pittsburgh, PA

2 Bedroom

$1,096

$1,269

+16% in Pittsburgh, PA

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,450

+12% in Pittsburgh, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$221,500

$193,200

+13% in Louisville, KY

Income

Median Household Income

$64,731

$64,137

+1% in Louisville, KY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,370

$49,650

+3% in Pittsburgh, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.7 yr

33.5 yr

+4.2 yr in Louisville, KY

Homeownership

60.6%

47.2%

+13.4 pp in Louisville, KY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

33.4%

47.8%

+14.4 pp in Pittsburgh, PA

Avg Commute

22.7 min

23.1 min

+0.4 min in Pittsburgh, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

763.4

436

+43% in Louisville, KY

Property Crime

3,536.6

2,315.7

+35% in Louisville, KY

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

58.2°F

51.8°F

+6.4°F in Louisville, KY

Annual Precipitation

44.9 in

39.3 in

+5.6 in in Louisville, KY

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.86/gal

+2% in Louisville, KY

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.0

21.6

+44% in Pittsburgh, PA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$29.48

$19.17

+35% in Louisville, KY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Pittsburgh, PA

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Pittsburgh, PA

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Louisville, KY

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Pittsburgh, PA

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Pittsburgh, PA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Pittsburgh, PA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (KY / PA)

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

3.50%

3.07%

+0.4 pp in KY

Louisville vs Pittsburgh — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Louisville or Pittsburgh?: Louisville, KY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,060 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Pittsburgh, PA's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Louisville than in Pittsburgh?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $35,000 a year in Louisville versus $43,000 in Pittsburgh.
Which has lower taxes, Louisville or Pittsburgh?: Louisville is taxed under Kentucky's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.50% and a 6% state sales tax); Pittsburgh under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% 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).