Columbus, GA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Columbus, GA Summary

Cost of living in Columbus research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Columbus is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Georgia, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Columbus is 93, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Columbus is 0.9x lower than the national average.

  • Columbus ranks as the #63 cheapest in Georgia out of 158.

  • Columbus ranks as the #1,658 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Columbus is $167,807.

  • The median income in Columbus is $56,622.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
93
Columbus's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Columbus, GA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbus has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Georgia, Columbus has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Georgia's index of 91.

The standard of living in Columbus ranks as #63 most affordable out of the 158 places we measured in Georgia. By definition, that implies Columbus ranks as the #95 most expensive place in the Peach State.

For more reading on life in Columbus, check out:

63 out of 158
In Georgia
1,658 out of 6,489
In America

Columbus Cost Of Living Vs. Georgia

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Columbus. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Columbus is 98.

  • The Groceries index in Columbus is 97.

  • The Health index in Columbus is 133.

  • The Housing index in Columbus is 84.

  • The Transportation index in Columbus is 93.

  • The Utilities index in Columbus is 85.

Living Expense Columbus Georgia National Average
Overall 93 91 100
Services 98 99 100
Groceries 97 99 100
Health 133 100 100
Housing 84 85 100
Transportation 93 92 100
Utilities 85 86 100
For more reading on cost of living around Georgia, check out:
Columbus Cost of Living Vs. GA

Columbus, GA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Georgia, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Columbus is $167,807.

  • The Median Rent in Columbus is $1,072.

  • The Median Income in Columbus is $56,622.

  • The Home Value To Income in Columbus is 3.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbus is 0.23x.

Statistic Columbus Georgia United States
Median Home Value $167,807 $332,047 $303,400
Median Rent $1,072 $1,306 $1,348
Median Income $56,622 $74,664 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.0x 4.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.21x 0.21x
$167,807
Median Home Value
$1,072
Median Rent
$56,622
Median Income

Columbus, GA Costs By Category

Detailed Columbus Services Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Columbus Georgia
Shampoo $1.31 $1.28
Movie $11.49 $12.13
Bowling $14.0 $18
Haircut $17.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $36.53 $45.56

Detailed Columbus Groceries Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Columbus Georgia
Ground Beef $6.16 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.44 $1.57
Milk $4.61 $4.67
Potatoes $5.31 $4.93
Pizza $11.32 $12.09
Beer $10.19 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed Columbus Health Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Columbus Georgia
Optometrist $91.67 $125.68
Doctor $116.11 $135.78
Dentist $95.33 $113.29

Detailed Columbus Transportation Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Columbus Georgia
Gasoline $3.22 $3.46
Tire Balancing $34.0 $59.92

Detailed Columbus Utilities Costs Vs. Georgia

Item Columbus Georgia
All Electricity $172.47 $193.99
Phone $188.97 $192.25

Columbus SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
7
Affordability
6
Diversity
9.5
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8
Education
7
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Columbus

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Columbus. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Auburn, AL has a cost of living index of 107, 1.2x Columbus.

  • Opelika, AL has a cost of living index of 94, 1.0x Columbus.

  • LaGrange, GA has a cost of living index of 91, 1.0x Columbus.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Columbus
Auburn, AL 78,738 107 1.2x
Opelika, AL 31,944 94 1.0x
LaGrange, GA 31,479 91 1.0x
Americus, GA 15,910 88 0.9x
Eufaula, AL 12,664 86 0.9x
Thomaston, GA 9,798 83 0.9x
Smiths Station, AL 5,443 94 1.0x

Articles About Georgia

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