Columbus, OH Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Columbus, OH 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 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 Columbus is 95, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Columbus is 0.9x lower than the national average.
Columbus ranks as the #175 cheapest in Ohio out of 289.
Columbus ranks as the #1,954 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Columbus is $244,665.
The median income in Columbus is $65,327.
Table Of Contents
Columbus's Overall Cost Of Living
Lower Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Columbus, OH?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbus has an overall cost of living index of 95, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Ohio, Columbus has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Ohio's index of 93.
The standard of living in Columbus ranks as #175 most affordable out of the 289 places we measured in Ohio. By definition, that implies Columbus ranks as the #114 most expensive place in the Buckeye State.
For more reading on life in Columbus, check out:
In Ohio
In America
Columbus Cost Of Living Vs. Ohio
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 92.
The Groceries index in Columbus is 105.
The Health index in Columbus is 86.
The Housing index in Columbus is 92.
The Transportation index in Columbus is 91.
The Utilities index in Columbus is 93.
| Living Expense | Columbus | Ohio | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 95 | 93 | 100 | |
| Services | 92 | 101 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 105 | 103 | 100 | |
| Health | 86 | 97 | 100 | |
| Housing | 92 | 74 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 91 | 102 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 93 | 100 | 100 | |
Columbus, 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 Columbus is $244,665.
The Median Rent in Columbus is $1,224.
The Median Income in Columbus is $65,327.
The Home Value To Income in Columbus is 3.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbus is 0.22x.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Columbus, OH Costs By Category
Detailed Columbus Services Costs Vs. Ohio
Detailed Columbus Groceries Costs Vs. Ohio
Detailed Columbus Health Costs Vs. Ohio
Detailed Columbus Transportation Costs Vs. Ohio
Detailed Columbus Utilities Costs Vs. Ohio
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:
Dublin, OH has a cost of living index of 126, 1.3x Columbus.
Westerville, OH has a cost of living index of 106, 1.1x Columbus.
Hilliard, OH has a cost of living index of 110, 1.2x Columbus.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin, OH | 49,031 | 126 | 1.3x |
| Westerville, OH | 38,543 | 106 | 1.1x |
| Hilliard, OH | 36,560 | 110 | 1.2x |
| Upper Arlington, OH | 36,319 | 126 | 1.3x |
| Gahanna, OH | 35,438 | 102 | 1.1x |
| Whitehall, OH | 19,974 | 84 | 0.9x |
| Worthington, OH | 14,754 | 111 | 1.2x |
| Powell, OH | 14,229 | 127 | 1.3x |
| Bexley, OH | 13,324 | 122 | 1.3x |
| New Albany, OH | 10,524 | 144 | 1.5x |
