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 | $1,161/mo | $1,322/mo | 12.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $212,500 | $340,200 | 37.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $62,994 | $72,092 | 12.6% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 102.0 | 103.1 | 1.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 88.4 | 123.5 | 28.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.6 | 102.5 | 10.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 91.9 | 101.2 | 9.2% 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 $112,936 in Phoenix to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Columbus, OH is about 11.5% cheaper overall than Phoenix, AZ, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 12% lower in Columbus than in Phoenix. If you earn $80,000 in Columbus, you'd need about $90,349 in Phoenix to keep the same standard of living.