Columbus, MS Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Columbus, MS 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 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 Columbus is 80, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Columbus is 0.8x lower than the national average.
Columbus ranks as the #10 cheapest in Mississippi out of 68.
Columbus ranks as the #112 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Columbus is $171,040.
The median income in Columbus is $40,588.
Table Of Contents
Columbus's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Columbus, MS?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbus has an overall cost of living index of 80, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Mississippi, Columbus has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Mississippi's index of 84.
The standard of living in Columbus ranks as #10 most affordable out of the 68 places we measured in Mississippi. By definition, that implies Columbus ranks as the #58 most expensive place in the Magnolia State.
For more reading on life in Columbus, check out:
In Mississippi
In America
Columbus Cost Of Living Vs. Mississippi
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 87.
The Groceries index in Columbus is 94.
The Health index in Columbus is 86.
The Housing index in Columbus is 70.
The Transportation index in Columbus is 91.
The Utilities index in Columbus is 84.
| Living Expense | Columbus | Mississippi | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 80 | 84 | 100 | |
| Services | 87 | 90 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 94 | 95 | 100 | |
| Health | 86 | 96 | 100 | |
| Housing | 70 | 63 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 90 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 84 | 85 | 100 | |
Columbus, 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 Columbus is $171,040.
The Median Rent in Columbus is $882.
The Median Income in Columbus is $40,588.
The Home Value To Income in Columbus is 4.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbus is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Columbus | Mississippi | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $171,040 | $188,640 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $882 | $923 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $40,588 | $54,915 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 4.2x | 3.4x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.2x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Columbus, MS Costs By Category
Detailed Columbus Services Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbus | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.06 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $10.65 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $12.5 | $18 |
| Haircut | $23.45 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $26.75 | $45.56 |
Detailed Columbus Groceries Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbus | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.01 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.62 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.51 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.06 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.06 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.17 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.71 | $3.7 |
Detailed Columbus Health Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbus | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $120.17 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $78.94 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $108.33 | $113.29 |
Detailed Columbus Transportation Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbus | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.0 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $57.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed Columbus Utilities Costs Vs. Mississippi
| Item | Columbus | Mississippi |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $148.63 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $186.87 | $192.25 |
Columbus SnackAbility
/10
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:
Starkville, MS has a cost of living index of 90, 1.1x Columbus.
West Point, MS has a cost of living index of 81, 1.0x Columbus.
Amory, MS has a cost of living index of 84, 1.1x Columbus.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starkville, MS | 25,611 | 90 | 1.1x |
| West Point, MS | 9,967 | 81 | 1.0x |
| Amory, MS | 6,564 | 84 | 1.1x |
| Louisville, MS | 6,018 | 81 | 1.0x |
