Is it cheaper to live in Columbus or Fort Worth?

Columbus, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,250 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Columbus than in Fort Worth?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Columbus versus $48,000 in Fort Worth.

Which has lower taxes, Columbus or Fort Worth?

Columbus is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax); Fort Worth under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Columbus vs Fort Worth Cost of Living 2026

Columbus

Ohio

$1,250/mo est.

Fort Worth

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,250 in Columbus, OH versus $1,380 in Fort Worth, TX. Overall, Columbus, OH is roughly 9% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fort Worth, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,327 in Columbus, OH and $76,602 in Fort Worth, TX — about 15% higher in Fort Worth, TX. Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax; Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Columbus, OH

Fort Worth, TX

Rent

Studio

$1,014

$1,310

+29% in Fort Worth, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,059

$1,191

+12% in Fort Worth, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,276

$1,393

+9% in Fort Worth, TX

3 Bedroom

$1,369

$1,721

+26% in Fort Worth, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$234,500

$277,300

+18% in Fort Worth, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$65,327

$76,602

+17% in Fort Worth, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,340

$51,440

+0% in Fort Worth, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.0 yr

33.4 yr

+0.4 yr in Fort Worth, TX

Homeownership

44.3%

56.7%

+12.4 pp in Fort Worth, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

38.2%

31.7%

+6.5 pp in Columbus, OH

Avg Commute

21.8 min

26.9 min

+5.1 min in Fort Worth, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

484.8

464.8

+4% in Columbus, OH

Property Crime

3,092.7

2,734.1

+12% in Columbus, OH

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

52.7°F

65.7°F

+13.0°F in Fort Worth, TX

Annual Precipitation

40.1 in

36.1 in

+4.0 in in Columbus, OH

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.56/gal

$3.96/gal

+13% in Columbus, OH

Area: Ohio vs Texas.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

about equal

Adult base one-way fare — COTA vs Trinity Metro (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

18.8

16.4

+13% in Columbus, OH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$13.75

$24.61

+79% in Fort Worth, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.14

$4.16

+1% in Fort Worth, TX

Bread (lb)

$1.79

$1.73

+3% in Columbus, OH

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Columbus, OH

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.97

$6.56

+6% in Columbus, OH

Chicken (lb)

$2.15

$1.90

+12% in Columbus, OH

Bananas (lb)

$0.63

$0.61

+3% in Columbus, OH

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OH / TX)

5.75%

6.25%

+0.5 pp in TX

Income Tax (top rate)

2.75%

None

+2.8 pp in OH

Columbus vs Fort Worth — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Columbus or Fort Worth?: Columbus, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,250 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 9% below Fort Worth, TX's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Columbus than in Fort Worth?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Columbus versus $48,000 in Fort Worth.
Which has lower taxes, Columbus or Fort Worth?: Columbus is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax); Fort Worth under Texas's (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).