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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Columbus stands out at 94 on the index, with rent of $1,415/month and household income of $65,327. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
The numbers are clear: 2 of 2 cities beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Columbus stands out at 94 on the index, with rent of $1,415/month and household income of $65,327. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Why Columbus ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 94 on the cost index, residents save roughly 18% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,415/month while the median household pulls in $65,327/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 84, though Healthcare (96) lags behind. Home prices average $243,005 — $224,365 below the national median.
Bottom line: Columbus, OH leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And more often than not, click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
#1 Ranked: Columbus, OH — cost index 94, rent $1,415/mo, income $65,327
2 of 2 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ColumbusOH | 94 | $1,415 | Details |
| 2 | KansasMO | 94 | $1,418 | Details |
913,175 residents · Ohio
What does daily life actually cost in Columbus? Start with the 26% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 84) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 96) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $65,327 and homes at $243,005 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
510,704 residents · Missouri
What does daily life actually cost in Kansas? Start with the 25% rent-to-income ratio — tight but manageable for most households. On the category level, Housing (index 85) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 97) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $67,449 and homes at $245,199 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons. Quietly competitive.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Columbus (ranked #1) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,415/mo, while Kansas (ranked #2) has a cost index of 94 and rent of $1,418/mo — a 0-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Columbus is $1,415/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $480 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Columbus is $243,005, which is 3.7× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.