Living Cost Compare
Columbus

Ohio

$1,250/mo est.

vs
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/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 $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL. Overall, Columbus, OH is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,327 in Columbus, OH and $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL — about 2% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Ohio has a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Columbus, OH
Jacksonville, FL

Rent

Studio
$1,014
$1,127
+11% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,059
$1,146
+8% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,276
$1,385
+9% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,369
$1,545
+13% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$234,500
$266,100
+13% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$65,327
$66,981
+3% in Jacksonville, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,340
$48,830
+5% in Columbus, OH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.0 yr
36.4 yr
+3.4 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
44.3%
57.4%
+13.1 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
38.2%
31.8%
+6.4 pp in Columbus, OH
Avg Commute
21.8 min
24.1 min
+2.3 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
484.8
557.6
+15% in Jacksonville, FL
Property Crime
3,092.7
2,599.5
+16% 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
70.2°F
+17.5°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
40.1 in
49.2 in
+9.1 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.56/gal
$4.25/gal
+7% in Columbus, OH

Area: Ohio vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.00
$1.75
+13% in Columbus, OH

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.8
14.9
+21% in Columbus, OH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.75
$23.62
+72% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.14
$4.16
+1% in Jacksonville, FL
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 / FL)
5.75%
6%
+0.3 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
2.75%
None
+2.8 pp in OH

Columbus vs Jacksonville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Columbus or Jacksonville?
Columbus, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,250 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Columbus than in Jacksonville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Columbus versus $46,000 in Jacksonville.
Which has lower taxes, Columbus or Jacksonville?
Columbus is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax); Jacksonville under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% 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).