Cost of Living in Columbus, Ohio
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Columbus, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 938,396
- Median household income
- $67,084
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 95.5
- Unemployment rate
- 4.7%
Is Columbus a good place to live?
Columbus sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 109 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in Columbus keeps $8,264 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living5% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,346 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$636 of state income tax on a typical wage, plus $1,284 of local income tax
Cost of living in Columbus
Prices in the Columbus, OH area run 5% below the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 12% below the US average.
- Housing12% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% below the US average
- Utilities4% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)1% below the US average
- All items5% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,346 | $16,152 |
| Food | $462 | $5,544 |
| Transportation | $365 | $4,380 |
| Healthcare | $348 | $4,176 |
| Utilities | $249 | $2,988 |
| Total before taxes | $2,770 | $33,240 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Columbus | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,259 | $1,258 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,346 | $1,346 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,603 | $1,602 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,910 | $1,909 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,174 | $2,172 |
Living in Columbus
How Columbus compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Columbus | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $67,084 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $279,900 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,383 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 54.1% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 17.2% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 38.7% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 33.5 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 22.2 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 16.3% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 1.9% | 3.7% |
Home internet
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Columbus, led by Spectrum, Breezeline, T-Mobile, AT&T. Fiber reaches 35.6% of homes and 38.7% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in Columbus
Pros and cons of living in Columbus
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 22.2 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Lower cost of living. Prices are 5% below the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $279,900, against $360,600 nationally.
Cons
- Local income tax. Residents also pay City of Columbus income tax: $1,284 on a typical wage.
- Higher poverty rate. 17.2% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Patchy fast internet. Only 38.7% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
- Lower incomes. Median household income is $67,084, against $81,604 nationally.
What your job keeps in Columbus
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $51,340
- Federal income tax
- −$3,981
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,928
- State income tax
- −$636
- Local income tax
- −$1,284
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$16,152
- Everyday costs
- −$17,095
a year, or $689 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Columbus, OH. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Columbus, OH area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $122,340 | $55,983 |
| Project manager | $98,660 | $40,579 |
| Registered nurse | $83,900 | $30,970 |
| Accountant | $81,700 | $29,538 |
| Teacher | $75,774 | $25,688 |
| Electrician | $64,700 | $18,297 |
| Licensed practical nurse | $61,910 | $16,203 |
| Truck driver | $61,720 | $16,060 |
| Social worker | $58,508 | $13,648 |
| Nursing assistant | $42,970 | $1,980 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Columbus on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $11,877
- Carpenter $19,634
- Civil engineer $40,808
- Data scientist $46,627
- Dental assistant $6,328
- Dental hygienist $39,420
- Dentist $83,647
- Diesel mechanic $16,412
- Financial analyst $40,098
- Firefighter $16,105
- HVAC technician $18,102
- Lawyer $65,747
- Lineman $29,577
- Mechanical engineer $41,927
- Medical assistant $2,857
- Nurse practitioner $57,398
- Occupational therapist $40,749
- Paralegal $15,091
- Paramedic $5,103
- Pharmacist $63,317
- Pharmacy technician $3,683
- Physical therapist $44,792
- Physician assistant $65,581
- Plumber $17,217
- Police officer $42,031
- Radiologic technologist $28,562
- Respiratory therapist $29,642
- Speech-language pathologist $39,147
- Veterinarian $56,571
- Welder $8,205
Local income tax: Ohio municipal tax applies to gross wages.
Compare Columbus with other cities
Compare Columbus with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Columbus
31 licensed interstate movers are based in Columbus, and 10 more elsewhere in the Columbus, OH area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Columbus, OH a good place to live?
Columbus sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 109 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $51,340 and keeps $8,264 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Columbus?
Prices in the Columbus, OH area are 5% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,346 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,425 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Columbus?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $40,400 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Columbus, OH area earns $51,340.
What is the average rent in Columbus?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,259 for a studio, $1,346 for a 1-bedroom and $1,603 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Columbus at $1,383 a month (2024).
Does Columbus have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $51,340, Ohio state income tax comes to about $636 a year. Columbus residents also pay City of Columbus income tax, about $1,284 on the same wage.
What internet providers serve Columbus?
5 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Columbus, led by Spectrum, Breezeline, T-Mobile, AT&T. 35.6% of homes can get fiber and 38.7% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate