Columbia, MS Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Columbia, MS 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 Mississippi, 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 79, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Columbia is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Columbia ranks as the #6 cheapest in Mississippi out of 68.
Columbia ranks as the #76 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Columbia is $134,490.
The median income in Columbia is $34,328.
Table Of Contents
Columbia's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Columbia, MS?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbia has an overall cost of living index of 79, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Mississippi, Columbia has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Mississippi's index of 85.
The standard of living in Columbia ranks as #6 most affordable out of the 68 places we measured in Mississippi. By definition, that implies Columbia ranks as the #62 most expensive place in the Magnolia State.
For more reading on life in Columbia, check out:
In Mississippi
In America
Columbia Cost Of Living Vs. Mississippi
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 99.
The Groceries index in Columbia is 98.
The Health index in Columbia is 104.
The Housing index in Columbia is 47.
The Transportation index in Columbia is 91.
The Utilities index in Columbia is 90.
| Living Expense | Columbia | Mississippi | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 79 | 85 | 100 | |
| Services | 99 | 91 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 98 | 99 | 100 | |
| Health | 104 | 99 | 100 | |
| Housing | 47 | 62 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 87 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 90 | 84 | 100 | |
Columbia, MS Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Mississippi, 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 $134,490.
The Median Rent in Columbia is $656.
The Median Income in Columbia is $34,328.
The Home Value To Income in Columbia is 3.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbia is 0.23x.
| Statistic | Columbia | Mississippi | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $134,490 | $188,640 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $656 | $923 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $34,328 | $54,915 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 3.9x | 3.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Columbia, MS Costs By Category
Detailed Columbia Services Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbia | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.17 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.62 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $17.33 | $18.0 |
| Haircut | $24.75 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $45.72 | $45.56 |
Detailed Columbia Groceries Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbia | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.76 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.74 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.55 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.16 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.24 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.16 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.59 | $3.7 |
Detailed Columbia Health Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbia | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $122.28 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $128.94 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $138.76 | $113.29 |
Detailed Columbia Transportation Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbia | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.08 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.67 | $59.92 |
Detailed Columbia Utilities Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbia | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $162.85 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $187.62 | $192.25 |
Columbia SnackAbility
/10
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:
Hattiesburg, MS has a cost of living index of 86, 1.1x Columbia.
Brookhaven, MS has a cost of living index of 80, 1.0x Columbia.
Petal, MS has a cost of living index of 89, 1.1x Columbia.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hattiesburg, MS | 48,507 | 86 | 1.1x |
| Brookhaven, MS | 11,656 | 80 | 1.0x |
| Petal, MS | 11,195 | 89 | 1.1x |
| Bogalusa, LA | 10,539 | 86 | 1.1x |
| Georgetown, SC | 8,511 | 94 | 1.2x |
| West Hattiesburg, MS | 6,509 | 92 | 1.2x |
