Moving to Kentucky from Colorado

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Colorado to Kentucky — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Colorado to Kentucky, you would find that Kentucky is 15.4% cheaper than Colorado. A $75,000 salary in Colorado would need to be roughly $59,661 in Kentucky to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Colorado to Kentucky.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $59,661

To maintain the same standard of living in Kentucky

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 18.7% less

Groceries

pay 11.0% less

Transportation

pay 14.9% less

Housing

pay 23.1% less

Childcare

pay 2.7% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 21.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Colorado to Kentucky.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CO
463
KY
220
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CO
2814
KY
1525

Kentucky performs significantly better than Colorado across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

CO
7.3%
KY
5.7%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

CO
26.3%
KY
38.2%

Colorado generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kentucky leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

CO
$502,200
KY
$192,300
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

CO
$1,693
KY
$933

Kentucky performs significantly better than Colorado across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

CO
92.9%
KY
87.4%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

CO
26 min
KY
24 min

Colorado generally does better on infrastructure, though Kentucky leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CO
3.6%
KY
3.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CO
$74,650
KY
$50,135

Colorado generally does better on employment & economy, though Kentucky leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

CO
78.3 yrs
KY
73.5 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

CO
30%
KY
18%

Colorado performs better than Kentucky across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Denver Rain: 14.3 in/yr (363 mm)
65° / 36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Bowling Green Rain: 49.9 in/yr (1267 mm)
69° / 47°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Denver Bowling Green
Jan–Mar 48°/21°F (9°/-6°C) 52°/31°F (11°/-1°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/43°F (22°/6°C) 78°/55°F (25°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/55°F (29°/13°C) 87°/64°F (30°/18°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/26°F (12°/-3°C) 59°/38°F (15°/3°C)
View all months
Month Denver Bowling Green
Jan 44°/17°F (6.7°/-8.1°C) 45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.1°C)
Feb 46°/19°F (7.9°/-7.3°C) 50°/30°F (10.0°/-1.3°C)
Mar 54°/26°F (12.4°/-3.1°C) 60°/37°F (15.4°/2.8°C)
Apr 62°/33°F (16.4°/0.7°C) 70°/46°F (20.9°/7.6°C)
May 71°/43°F (21.9°/5.9°C) 78°/55°F (25.4°/12.8°C)
Jun 82°/52°F (28.0°/11.3°C) 86°/64°F (30.1°/17.7°C)
Jul 89°/59°F (31.9°/14.9°C) 89°/68°F (31.9°/19.9°C)
Aug 87°/58°F (30.7°/14.4°C) 89°/66°F (31.6°/18.9°C)
Sep 78°/48°F (25.8°/9.1°C) 82°/58°F (27.8°/14.4°C)
Oct 65°/37°F (18.5°/2.6°C) 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C)
Nov 52°/24°F (11.2°/-4.2°C) 59°/38°F (15.2°/3.1°C)
Dec 43°/17°F (6.0°/-8.3°C) 48°/29°F (8.8°/-1.6°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Kentucky than Colorado?

Yes — Kentucky is on average about 20% cheaper than Colorado. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Kentucky?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $14,915 in Kentucky on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Kentucky safe?

Kentucky performs significantly better than Colorado across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Kentucky compared to Colorado?

Colorado generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kentucky leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Kentucky compared to Colorado?

The average high temperature in Bowling Green is 69°F, compared to 65°F in Denver. Bowling Green receives around 49.9 in of rainfall per year, while Denver gets 14.3 in.

Share this