Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
Cincinnati

Ohio

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,030 in Cincinnati, OH. Overall, Cincinnati, OH is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Arlington, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $51,707 in Cincinnati, OH — about 30% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
Cincinnati, OH

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$791
+27% in Arlington, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$817
+31% in Arlington, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,023
+27% in Arlington, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,228
+32% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$215,300
+22% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$51,707
+30% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$50,170
+2% in Arlington, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
33.0 yr
+0.6 yr in Arlington, TX
Homeownership
54.8%
38.9%
+15.9 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
41.3%
+8.2 pp in Cincinnati, OH
Avg Commute
26.7 min
23.1 min
+3.6 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
856.5
+73% in Cincinnati, OH
Property Crime
2,434.5
3,877.7
+59% in Cincinnati, OH

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
54.3°F
+11.1°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
41.9 in
+2.3 in in Cincinnati, OH

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$4.18/gal
+16% in Cincinnati, OH

Area: Texas vs Ohio.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
16.4
19.5
+19% in Cincinnati, OH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.48
$22.83
+25% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in Cincinnati, OH
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Arlington, TX
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in Cincinnati, OH
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in Cincinnati, OH
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in Cincinnati, OH
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs Midwest (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / OH)
6.25%
5.75%
+0.5 pp in TX
Income Tax (top rate)
None
2.75%
+2.8 pp in OH

Arlington vs Cincinnati — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or Cincinnati?
Cincinnati, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Arlington, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in Cincinnati?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $33,000 in Cincinnati.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or Cincinnati?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Cincinnati under Ohio's (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).