City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Columbia | Ellicott City | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,895/mo | $1,921/mo | 1.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $458,700 | $617,200 | 25.7% lower in A |
| Median household income | $124,537 | $149,534 | 16.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 101.3 | 101.3 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 105.6 | 105.6 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 101.2 | 101.2 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 99.5 | 99.5 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Columbia, you'd need $100,240 in Ellicott City to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Columbia and Ellicott City have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Columbia, you'd need about $80,192 in Ellicott City to keep the same standard of living.