City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cincinnati, OH (95.4) and Columbus, OH (95.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH goes as far as $100,100 in Columbus, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- Both are in OH, so estimated state income tax is the same: $1,968 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Columbus, OH ($110,865 → $111,065), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Cincinnati, OH | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,104 in Columbus | $99,896 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,194/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
68 Fair offer
Columbus, OH → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Columbus, OH | Real change, Cincinnati → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $64,406 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $77,926 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $93,400 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $111,065 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $131,245 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $78,150 | $78,069 (+20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $122,340 | $122,213 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $81,700 | $81,615 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $83,900 | $83,813 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.