How much is rent in Columbus, OH?

The median 2-bedroom in Columbus rents for $1,528 a month with utilities, $35 less than the US median. A 1-bedroom runs $1,242 and a 3-bedroom $1,667.

By Sol Lakein, founder of Slower Sundays. Updated November 2026.

$1,5282-bedroom¹US: $1,563
$1,2421-bedroom¹US: $1,362
$61,120Income for a 2-bed at 30%²A year
22%Share of typical income³For a 2-bedroom

Rent in Columbus by number of bedrooms

Median rent, utilities included, next to the US median.¹

Studio$1,206/mo
Columbus
$1,206
US
$1,365
Income to keep it at 30%: $48,240²
1 bedroom$1,242/mo
Columbus
$1,242
US
$1,362
Income to keep it at 30%: $49,680²
2 bedrooms$1,528/mo
Columbus
$1,528
US
$1,563
Income to keep it at 30%: $61,120²
3 bedrooms$1,667/mo
Columbus
$1,667
US
$1,760
Income to keep it at 30%: $66,680²
4 bedrooms$2,018/mo
Columbus
$2,018
US
$2,153
Income to keep it at 30%: $80,720²

Work out what rent you can afford · Full cost of living in Columbus

Where rent costs less than Columbus

31 of the cities we cover have a lower median 2-bedroom rent. The cheapest and the closest:¹

City	2-bedroom rent	Less than Columbus
Paducah, KY	$886	$642/mo
Terre Haute, IN	$901	$627/mo
Muncie, IN	$919	$609/mo
Knoxville, TN	$1,452	$76/mo
San Antonio, TX	$1,460	$68/mo
Asheville, NC	$1,492	$36/mo

Rent in Columbus: questions people ask

How much is rent in Columbus?

Median rent with utilities, all units: $1,468 a month. By size: studio $1,206, 1 bedroom $1,242, 2 bedrooms $1,528, 3 bedrooms $1,667, 4 bedrooms $2,018 (Census ACS, 2025).

How much do you need to make to afford rent in Columbus?

To keep a 2-bedroom at 30% of income, about $61,120 a year. For a 1-bedroom, $49,680.

What share of income goes to rent in Columbus?

A year of median 2-bedroom rent equals 22% of the median household income of $84,015 (Census ACS, 2025).

Where is rent cheaper than Columbus?

Of the cities we cover, Paducah, KY ($886), Terre Haute, IN ($901), Muncie, IN ($919) have the lowest median 2-bedroom rent.

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Notes on the numbers

1Rent: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B25031, median gross rent by number of bedrooms (rent plus utilities the renter pays), 2025. Covers all renters, including long-time tenants, so new leases often cost more. $3,500+ is the highest figure the Census publishes. Census table
2Income to keep rent at 30%: a year of rent divided by 0.3, the common rule of thumb. Our arithmetic.
3Household income: Census ACS 2025 1-year, table B19013, median household income, 2025. Census table

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