CostIndexUSA

College Station, TX vs Columbus, OH Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
College Station
91
overall index
$1,700/mo rent
OH
Columbus
95.5
overall index
$1,450/mo rent

College Station is slightly cheaper than Columbus — 4.9% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in College Station, you would need $84,000 in Columbus. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+17.0%
College Station
75.1
Columbus
87.9
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
College Station
93.8
Columbus
93.6
🚗 Transportation+2.8%
College Station
101.1
Columbus
103.9
🏥 Healthcare+2.8%
College Station
91.4
Columbus
94
Utilities+13.2%
College Station
84.4
Columbus
95.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in College Station to see what you'd need to earn in Columbus to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Columbus, OH
$84,000
$4,000 more needed in Columbus

Formula: salary × (95.5 ÷ 91) = salary × 1.0495. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

College Station, TX

Median Home Price
$301,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
75.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Columbus, OH

Median Home Price
$317,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
87.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.2×

Columbus has 17.0% higher housing costs compared to College Station.

Income & Job Market

College Station, TX

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
120,511
Top Industries
EducationTechnologyHealthcareGovernmentResearch

Columbus, OH

Median Household Income
$77,400
Per Capita Income
$44,100
Unemployment Rate
3.5%
Population
905,748
Top Industries
FinanceRetailHealthcareEducationGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

College Station, TX
2.7×income-to-rent ratio

63% of income left after rent (median)

Columbus, OH
4.4×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.