What is the cost of living in Columbia, PA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbia has an overall cost of living index of 93, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Pennsylvania, Columbia has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Pennsylvania's index of 97.
The standard of living in Columbia ranks as #84 most affordable out of the 253 places we measured in Pennsylvania. By definition, that implies Columbia ranks as the #169 most expensive place in the Keystone State.
For more reading on life in Columbia, check out:
Columbia Cost Of Living Vs. Pennsylvania
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Columbia. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Columbia is 99.
The Groceries index in Columbia is 96.
The Health index in Columbia is 75.
The Housing index in Columbia is 98.
The Transportation index in Columbia is 102.
The Utilities index in Columbia is 97.
| Living Expense | Columbia | Pennsylvania | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 93 | 97 | 100 |
| Services | 99 | 99 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 100 | 100 |
| Health | 75 | 88 | 100 |
| Housing | 98 | 102 | 100 |
| Transportation | 102 | 100 | 100 |
| Utilities | 97 | 101 | 100 |
Columbia Cost Of Living Compared To Pennsylvania Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around Pennsylvania, check out:
- Most Expensive Cities In Pennsylvania
- Most Affordable Cities In Pennsylvania
- Average Rent In Pennsylvania
Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Columbia, PA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Pennsylvania, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Columbia is $290,829.
The Median Rent in Columbia is $1,075.
The Median Income in Columbia is $54,437.
The Home Value To Income in Columbia is 5.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbia is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Columbia | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $290,829 | $282,735 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,075 | $1,209 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $54,437 | $77,971 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.3x | 3.6x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
Columbia, PA Costs By Category
Detailed Columbia Services costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Columbia | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.43 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $12.52 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $15.56 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.17 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $40.39 | $45.56 |
Detailed Columbia Groceries costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Columbia | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.65 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.45 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.49 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.37 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $11.67 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.13 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.77 | $3.7 |
Detailed Columbia Health costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Columbia | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $123.25 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $177.4 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $118.44 | $113.29 |
Detailed Columbia Transportation costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Columbia | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.66 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $68.88 | $59.92 |
Detailed Columbia Utilities costs vs. Pennsylvania
| Item | Columbia | Pennsylvania |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $169.62 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $195.81 | $192.25 |
Columbia SnackAbility
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:
Longview, WA has a cost of living index of 108, 1.2x Columbia.
Orchards, WA has a cost of living index of 128, 1.4x Columbia.
Hazel Dell, WA has a cost of living index of 123, 1.3x Columbia.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Columbia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longview, WA | 38,069 | 108 | 1.2x |
| Orchards, WA | 29,438 | 128 | 1.4x |
| Hazel Dell, WA | 23,237 | 123 | 1.3x |
| Battle Ground, WA | 21,886 | 126 | 1.4x |
| Five Corners, WA | 21,194 | 127 | 1.4x |
| St. Helens, OR | 14,258 | 114 | 1.2x |
| Ridgefield, WA | 13,408 | 141 | 1.5x |
| Kelso, WA | 12,684 | 107 | 1.2x |
| Minnehaha, WA | 11,482 | 126 | 1.4x |
| Mount Vista, WA | 10,764 | 138 | 1.5x |
