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Cost of living in Columbus, OH

Compared with New York. Change city

$2,017a month less for the typical home than in New York1,2

That's $24,205 a year, enough to cover 11 months of the mortgage in Columbus. The average commute is 12 minutes shorter each way, about 2.1 hours a week back4.

Typical home $374,950 vs $742,000. 2-bedroom rent3 $1,528 vs $1,997. See the math

By Sol Lakein.Checked October 2026.How we compare costs

Columbus skyline from the Main Street Bridge, ColumbusJordan Griffith / Unsplash
All cities
  • College townOhio State University
  • Big-city lifeNHL and MLS teams

Columbus at a glance, next to New York

5

What the median home costs each month

1,2
New York metro$4,078/mo
$742,000 typical home
Columbus$2,061/mo
$374,950 typical home

If you rent: median 2-bedroom

3
New York metro$1,997/mo
Columbus$1,528/mo
About $469 a month less in rent
Rent by apartment size in Columbus

Day-to-day costs

  • Housing costs612% cheaper than averageNew York: 49% above
  • Salary that matches $150,000 in New York6$127,221
Columbus in a paragraph

The median listed home in Columbus is $374,950 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 11% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,061 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,528 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 95.5, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $127,221 here.

Weather

8
  • 22°January low
  • 85.4°July high
  • 28.2 inSnow per year

Home prices next to New York

1
Typical home for sale
New York metro$742,000
Columbus$374,950
49% less, a $367,050 difference
Price per square foot
New York metro$494
Columbus$205
2.4 times the space for the money

Your New York, in Columbus

We're matching Columbus's parks, museums, arenas and food halls to their New York counterparts. Until then, see how it works for Raleigh.

See how Columbus ranks for your household

Answer a few quick questions and see how Columbus ranks against 53 other cities for your household.

See how Columbus ranks for you

Is Columbus a good place to live?

Columbus fits families who want prices 5% below the US average and homes list 11% below the US median. The main trade-off is real winters. Here is what you gain and what you give up.

What you gain

  • Prices 5% below the US averageEveryday prices, rent included, index at 95.5 against a US average of 100.BEA regional price parities, 2024
  • Homes list 11% below the US median$374,950 median listing against $419,250 nationally.Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026
  • Nonstop flights to New YorkFrom CMH to JFK, LGA, EWR.Airport route page, accessed October 14, 2026
  • University townOhio State UniversitySlower Sundays city profile

What you trade

  • Real wintersJanuary lows average 22°F with 28.2 inches of snow a year.NOAA 1991-2020 normals

More on Columbus and Ohio

Columbus cost of living: questions people ask

What is the cost of living in Columbus, OH?

The median listed home in Columbus is $374,950 (Realtor.com, September 2026), 11% below the US median of $419,250. With 20% down at 7.32%, principal and interest come to about $2,061 a month. The median 2-bedroom rent is $1,528 a month, utilities included (Census, 2025). Everyday prices index at 95.5, where the US average is 100 (BEA, 2024). A $150,000 salary in New York buys the same as $127,221 here.

How much would I save moving from New York to Columbus?

The median listed home is $374,950 in Columbus against $742,000 in the New York metro, 49% less. On a mortgage for each median home, that is about $2,017 a month less in principal and interest (20% down, 7.32%, Freddie Mac, October 22, 2026).

How much is rent in Columbus?

The median gross rent for a 2-bedroom in the Columbus metro is $1,528 a month, including utilities the renter pays (Census American Community Survey, 2025). In the New York metro it is $1,997, $469 more. The US median is $1,563.

What salary in Columbus matches $150,000 in New York?

$127,221. That is $150,000 adjusted by the BEA regional price parities for both metros (95.5 in Columbus, 112.6 in New York, 2024).

Does Columbus pay you to move there?

None of the relocation incentive programs we track cover Columbus as of October 2026.

What is the weather like in Columbus?

January lows average 22°F and July highs 85.4°F, with 28.2 inches of snow a year (NOAA 1991-2020 normals, John Glenn Columbus International Airport).

Notes on the numbers
  1. 1Home prices: the typical home is the median listing price, with price per square foot, from Realtor.com via FRED, September 2026. The comparison metro uses the same series and month.
  2. 2Monthly cost: Principal and interest on the median listed home with 20% down, 30-year fixed at 7.32% (Freddie Mac 30-year fixed average, week of October 22, 2026). Excludes taxes, insurance and HOA. Rate source
  3. 3Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, median gross rent for 2-bedroom units (rent plus utilities). Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, not only new leases. Census table
  4. 4Commute: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table S0801, mean travel time to work (one way, workers who do not work from home), 2025. Hours back assume a 5-day round trip. Census table
  5. 5At a glance: a difference within 5% counts as about the same.
  6. 6Everyday prices, housing costs and the matching salary: BEA regional price parities, 2024, US = 100.
  7. 7Flights: airport route pages, October 2026.
  8. 8Weather: NOAA 1991-2020 normals, John Glenn Columbus International Airport.
Sources for this page