

Cincinnati vs Lexington
$526/mo less in Lexington
CincinnatiLexingtonAbout 67 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Lexington costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,186/mo in Lexington. $2,712/mo in Cincinnati. −$6,312 a year.
Cincinnati
$2,712
left each month
Lexington
$2,186
−$526 vs Cincinnati
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 406 households moved Cincinnati → Lexington (avg AGI $54,165). 444 went the other way. The whole move →
−$526 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Cincinnati | Lexington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,625 | $6,970 | −$655 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,864 | $1,740 | −$124 |
| Take-home pay | $5,761 | $5,230 | −$531 |
| Rent | $1,168 | $1,135 | −$33 |
| Getting around | $520 | $541 | +$21 |
| Groceries | $376 | $378 | +$2 |
| Healthcare | $423 | $425 | +$2 |
| Utilities | $235 | $236 | +$1 |
| Everything else | $329 | $330 | +$1 |
| Left over | $2,712 | $2,186 | −$526 |
Salary to match Cincinnati
$93,500
Gross pay in Lexington that leaves the same amount as $91,500 in Cincinnati.
Tax difference
−$840
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 24.5% in Cincinnati, 25.0% in Lexington.
More about Lexington
Cincinnati, OH in full
State income tax topping out at 3.5%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,391 and 201 sunny days; commutes average 25 minutes.
Lexington, KY in full
A flat 4% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,351 and 194 sunny days; commutes average 22 minutes.
The other way
Start in Lexington.
Lexington → Cincinnati →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Lexington than Cincinnati?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Lexington leaves about $526 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,168 in Cincinnati and $1,135 in Lexington.
Does Lexington have state income tax?
Lexington is in Kentucky, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.50%.
What changes if you move from Cincinnati to Lexington?
The paycheck is taxed in Kentucky. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Cincinnati and Lexington changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.