Columbus, OH vs San Antonio, TX Cost of Living (2026)

Columbus has a cost of living index of 93, about 7% below the national average. The housing index is 93.1, so housing still does a lot to shape the local budget. Typical apartment rent is about $1,468 a month, and median home values are around $505,881. The median household income is approximately $62,000. Columbus is one of the few Rust Belt cities that has seen consistent population and economic growth in recent decades, driven by Ohio State University, a strong healthcare sector, and growing technology employment from companies like Nationwide and JPMorgan Chase's large campus.

A $100,000 salary in an average-cost city stretches to about $107,500 in Columbus. That extra room can make it easier to save, pay down debt, or stretch for a better housing setup. Several everyday categories, especially transportation and miscellaneous costs, stay below the national baseline.

Ohio has a progressive state income tax, and Columbus has a 2.5% city income tax for residents. The combined state and local burden is moderate. Workers in specific Columbus suburbs should check whether their municipality has its own income tax, as many do, with credit structures to avoid full double taxation. Property taxes in Franklin County are reasonable, with effective rates typically around 1.5 to 1.8% of assessed value.

Groceries and utilities in Columbus run below the national average. The city has good highway access, and most residents drive to work. Public transit exists through COTA but has limited coverage relative to larger cities. Columbus is also geographically flat and accessible, which reduces some of the structural commute costs that come with cities built on hillier terrain. The housing market has seen price appreciation in recent years, particularly near Ohio State and in neighborhoods like Short North and German Village, but overall affordability remains strong by national comparison.

San Antonio has a cost of living index of 91.3, about 8.7% below the national average. Housing runs below the national baseline, with a housing index of 75.2. Typical apartment rent is about $1,504 a month, and median home values are around $358,086. The median household income is approximately $62,000. That makes it one of the most affordable large cities in the United States.

A $100,000 salary in an average-cost city stretches to about $109,500 in San Antonio. That extra room can make it easier to save, pay down debt, or stretch for a better housing setup. Most everyday categories stay manageable here, although healthcare still runs a bit high.

Texas has no state income tax, which further increases take-home pay for San Antonio residents. At a $65,000 salary, the difference between Texas and a state with a 6% income tax rate amounts to roughly $3,900 per year in additional take-home pay. Texas property taxes remain a consideration: effective rates in Bexar County typically run 1.8 to 2.3% of appraised value, adding meaningful annual costs for homeowners.

San Antonio's economy is less concentrated in high-wage tech and finance than Austin or Dallas, which partly explains the lower median income. The city's large employers include the military, healthcare, tourism, and government. Wages in those sectors tend to be stable but not high relative to national peers. Workers in tech, engineering, or finance who can work remotely or find employment with national companies will see the biggest gap between their income and what local peers earn, and that gap works significantly in their favor given the city's cost structure.