$80K in Lexington = $74,607 in Peoria

Your $80K salary in Lexington (COL 89) has the same purchasing power as $74,607 in Peoria (COL 83). Peoria is cheaper โ€” your money goes 7% further there.

$80K in Lexington, KY
$4,790/mo take-home
Rent: $1,350/mo (28% of take-home)
Manageable
$74,607/yr in Peoria, IL
$4,405/mo take-home
Rent: $1,050/mo (24% of take-home)
Comfortable

Budget breakdown โ€” $80K in both cities

What $80K actually buys you in each city after taxes and core expenses.

Expense
Lexington
$80K
Peoria
$80K (same salary)
Monthly take-home$4,790$4,723
1BR rent$1,350$1,050
Groceries$365$361
Transport$60$55
Utilities$158$158
Internet$60$60
Left after essentials$2,797/month$3,039/month
To match your Lexington purchasing power in Peoria, you'd need to earn $74,607/year (7% less than $80K). At that salary, you'd have $2,721/mo left after essentials โ€” vs $2,797/mo in Lexington.

Frequently asked questions

What is $80K in Lexington equivalent to in Peoria?

$80K in Lexington (COL index 89) has the same purchasing power as $74,607 in Peoria (COL index 83). That's 7% less than your current salary.

If I move from Lexington to Peoria keeping my $80K salary, will I be better off?

Yes. If you keep earning $80K after moving to Peoria, you'd have $242 more per month after core expenses โ€” because Peoria is cheaper than Lexington.

How is the salary equivalent calculated?

The equivalent salary is calculated by multiplying your current salary by the ratio of the two cities' overall cost of living indices: $80K ร— (83 รท 89) = $74,607. This adjusts for differences in housing, food, transport, and general cost of living.

Equivalency uses overall COL index ratio. Take-home uses simplified federal/state brackets. Zillow ยท BLS ยท Numbeo ยท Q1 2026 ยท For general guidance only