Cost of Living in Columbus, OH (2026)

Columbus's cost of living is 5% below the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $104,746 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Columbus has a cost-of-living index of 95 against a US average of 100 — about 5% below average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $104,746 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Columbus

MeasureColumbusUS average
Cost-of-living index95100
Median rent$1,224/mo-
Median home value$234,500-
Median household income$65,327-
Population906,480-

Monthly cost breakdown in Columbus

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,224$1,362
Transport$852$852
Food$670$670
Healthcare$421$421
Other$1,497$1,497
Total$4,665$4,802

Affordability in Columbus

Median rent takes about 22.5% of the median household income in Columbus — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 3.6x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Columbus

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Marketing Manager$136,120$142,580
Software Developer$114,330$119,756
Physical Therapist$99,600$104,327
Mechanical Engineer$95,620$100,158
Data Scientist$94,390$98,870
Financial Analyst$92,820$97,225
Police Officer$86,640$90,752
Dental Hygienist$84,769$88,792

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Columbus’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Columbus has a cost-of-living index of 95 against a US average of 100, so it is about 5% below the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Columbus has roughly the purchasing power of $104,746 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Columbus's median rent of $1,224/month that implies about $48,960 a year before tax. The median household in Columbus earns $65,327.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $4,665 a month in Columbus across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $4,802 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Columbus costs $234,500, which is 3.6x the median household income of $65,327. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Columbus is manageable but tight.