Cincinnati, OH Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Cincinnati, OH Summary

Cost of living in Cincinnati 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 Cincinnati is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Ohio, 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 Cincinnati is 94, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Cincinnati ranks as the #158 cheapest in Ohio out of 289.

  • Cincinnati ranks as the #1,806 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Cincinnati is $246,428.

  • The median income in Cincinnati is $51,707.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
94
Cincinnati's Overall Cost Of Living
0.9x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Cincinnati, OH?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Cincinnati has an overall cost of living index of 94, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Ohio, Cincinnati has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Ohio's index of 93.

The standard of living in Cincinnati ranks as #158 most affordable out of the 289 places we measured in Ohio. By definition, that implies Cincinnati ranks as the #131 most expensive place in the Buckeye State.

For more reading on life in Cincinnati, check out:

158 out of 289
In Ohio
1,806 out of 6,489
In America

Cincinnati Cost Of Living Vs. Ohio

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

  • The Services index in Cincinnati is 102.

  • The Groceries index in Cincinnati is 101.

  • The Health index in Cincinnati is 102.

  • The Housing index in Cincinnati is 82.

  • The Transportation index in Cincinnati is 103.

  • The Utilities index in Cincinnati is 98.

Living Expense Cincinnati Ohio National Average
Overall 94 93 100
Services 102 101 100
Groceries 101 103 100
Health 102 97 100
Housing 82 74 100
Transportation 103 102 100
Utilities 98 100 100
For more reading on cost of living around Ohio, check out:
Cincinnati Cost of Living Vs. OH

Cincinnati, OH Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Ohio, 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 Cincinnati is $246,428.

  • The Median Rent in Cincinnati is $953.

  • The Median Income in Cincinnati is $51,707.

  • The Home Value To Income in Cincinnati is 4.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Cincinnati is 0.22x.

Statistic Cincinnati Ohio United States
Median Home Value $246,428 $240,287 $303,400
Median Rent $953 $988 $1,348
Median Income $51,707 $69,680 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.8x 3.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.17x 0.21x
$246,428
Median Home Value
$953
Median Rent
$51,707
Median Income

Cincinnati, OH Costs By Category

Detailed Cincinnati Services Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Cincinnati Ohio
Shampoo $1.27 $1.28
Movie $14.35 $12.13
Bowling $17.56 $18
Haircut $25.13 $24.26
Beauty Salon $37.93 $45.56

Detailed Cincinnati Groceries Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Cincinnati Ohio
Ground Beef $5.91 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.57
Milk $4.8 $4.67
Potatoes $5.05 $4.93
Pizza $11.92 $12.09
Beer $10.63 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.6 $3.7

Detailed Cincinnati Health Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Cincinnati Ohio
Optometrist $105.42 $125.68
Doctor $159.4 $135.78
Dentist $106.67 $113.29

Detailed Cincinnati Transportation Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Cincinnati Ohio
Gasoline $3.27 $3.46
Tire Balancing $73.09 $59.92

Detailed Cincinnati Utilities Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Cincinnati Ohio
All Electricity $197.1 $193.99
Phone $186.48 $192.25

Cincinnati SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
6
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
3
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Cincinnati

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

  • Mason, OH has a cost of living index of 121, 1.3x Cincinnati.

  • Norwood, OH has a cost of living index of 93, 1.0x Cincinnati.

  • Fort Thomas, KY has a cost of living index of 104, 1.1x Cincinnati.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Cincinnati
Mason, OH 35,148 121 1.3x
Norwood, OH 19,023 93 1.0x
Fort Thomas, KY 17,242 104 1.1x
Newport, KY 14,039 96 1.0x
Monfort Heights, OH 12,203 97 1.0x
Mack, OH 11,444 109 1.2x
Forestville, OH 11,213 107 1.1x
Montgomery, OH 10,816 128 1.4x
Madeira, OH 9,454 118 1.3x
Wyoming, OH 8,712 121 1.3x

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