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 | Columbus | Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,081/mo | $1,322/mo | 18.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $211,700 | $340,200 | 37.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $75,114 | $72,092 | 4.2% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 94.9 | 97.7 | 2.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 88.1 | 102.9 | 14.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 98.5 | 104.2 | 5.5% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.1 | 104.0 | 4.7% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Columbus, you'd need $122,052 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Columbus, IN is about 18.1% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 32% lower in Columbus than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Columbus, you'd need about $97,641 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.