Cost of living in Columbus, Ohio: rent, homes and salary
Cost of living in Columbus, Ohio comes in 4.5% under the US average. In 2024, the BEA regional price parity (RPP) for that Columbus, OH metro area stood at 95.5, the US at 100, and housing alone at 87.9.
- Level of prices
- 95.5US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 87.9 for rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Columbus, Ohio
A regional price parity measures what an identical basket of goods and services costs in that place, against the US average, which is set at 100. BEA measures prices for the whole Columbus, OH metro region at once, and Columbus, Ohio is part of it. Nothing differs from the US average as much as housing (rents): its index stands at 87.9, 12.1% below the US figure.
| Price level, US = 100 | Columbus, OH metro | Ohio | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 95.5 | 92.8 | −4.5% |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 | −6.4% |
| Housing (rents) | 87.9 | 73.0 | −12.1% |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 95.8 | −4.5% |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.9 | −1.1% |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), regional price parities for metro areas and states, 2024. BEA price parity data
Rents in Columbus, Ohio
In Columbus, Ohio, asking rent typically runs $1,471 a month by Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a series on rent for homes on the market now, +2.7% over a year. In the US, the figure is $1,932. According to Census, median gross rent is $1,383, a measure that covers every renting household rather than only new leases. One year of the asking rent equals 26% of median household income.
| Rent | Columbus, Ohio | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,471 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +2.7% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,383 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income for a year of asking rent | 26% | 28% |
One-year estimates from Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, plus rent figures from Zillow Observed Rent Index.
Columbus, Ohio home prices
In September 2026 the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) put a typical home in Columbus, Ohio at $243,122, the value of a typical home at the midpoint of the market. That figure is −1.1% on a year, compared with $366,157 for the US. It takes 3.6 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 years for the US.
| Home prices | Columbus, Ohio | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $243,122 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −1.1% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +105.8% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 3.6 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 13.8 | 15.8 |
Price history back to 2000, along with the forecast and how long homes sit on the market: Housing market in Columbus, Ohio.
Salary needed for living in Columbus, Ohio
Two questions determine the salary needed in Columbus, Ohio: the place you live and your earnings. That figure matches what your pay buys now.
- Moving from
- Salary
Side-by-side figures for each city, and the method behind them: cost of living by city.
Moving to Columbus, Ohio? Compare moving quotes on Moving.com, a mover-quote service; we are not paid for this link.
Columbus, Ohio cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Value of a typical home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, Ohio | 95.5 | 87.9 | $1,471 | $243,122 |
| Cleveland, Ohio | 93.9 | 79.4 | $1,359 | $115,810 |
| Cincinnati | 95.4 | 87.6 | $1,432 | $245,743 |
| Dayton | 92.7 | 72.7 | $1,241 | $137,939 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities 2024, US = 100. Rents come from Zillow ZORI. Home values come from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: city cost of living comparison. Every state: state cost of living.