Columbia, MD Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Columbia, MD Summary
Cost of living in Columbia 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 Columbia is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Maryland, 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 Columbia is 131, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Columbia is 1.3x higher than the national average.
Columbia ranks as the #117 cheapest in Maryland out of 194.
Columbia ranks as the #5,035 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Columbia is $507,652.
The median income in Columbia is $129,173.
Table Of Contents
Columbia's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Columbia, MD?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbia has an overall cost of living index of 131, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Maryland, Columbia has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Maryland's index of 121.
The standard of living in Columbia ranks as #117 most affordable out of the 194 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies Columbia ranks as the #77 most expensive place in the Old Line State.
For more reading on life in Columbia, check out:
In Maryland
In America
Columbia Cost Of Living Vs. Maryland
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Columbia. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Columbia is 104.
The Groceries index in Columbia is 107.
The Health index in Columbia is 96.
The Housing index in Columbia is 203.
The Transportation index in Columbia is 101.
The Utilities index in Columbia is 113.
| Living Expense | Columbia | Maryland | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 131 | 121 | 100 | |
| Services | 104 | 105 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 107 | 107 | 100 | |
| Health | 96 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 203 | 150 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 101 | 99 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 113 | 113 | 100 | |
Columbia, MD Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maryland, 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 Columbia is $507,652.
The Median Rent in Columbia is $1,998.
The Median Income in Columbia is $129,173.
The Home Value To Income in Columbia is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbia is 0.19x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Columbia, MD Costs By Category
Detailed Columbia Services Costs Vs. Maryland
Detailed Columbia Groceries Costs Vs. Maryland
Detailed Columbia Health Costs Vs. Maryland
Detailed Columbia Transportation Costs Vs. Maryland
Detailed Columbia Utilities Costs Vs. Maryland
Columbia SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Columbia
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Columbia. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Olney, MD has a cost of living index of 153, 1.2x Columbia.
Ilchester, MD has a cost of living index of 136, 1.0x Columbia.
Elkridge, MD has a cost of living index of 131, 1.0x Columbia.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olney, MD | 36,000 | 153 | 1.2x |
| Ilchester, MD | 27,552 | 136 | 1.0x |
| Elkridge, MD | 26,183 | 131 | 1.0x |
| North Laurel, MD | 25,201 | 132 | 1.0x |
| Kemp Mill, MD | 14,437 | 145 | 1.1x |
| Colesville, MD | 14,075 | 140 | 1.1x |
| Scaggsville, MD | 10,441 | 162 | 1.2x |
| Chevy Chase, MD | 9,484 | 257 | 2.0x |
| Jessup, MD | 9,147 | 129 | 1.0x |
| Savage, MD | 8,284 | 125 | 1.0x |
