Living Cost Compare
Columbus

Ohio

$1,250/mo est.

vs
San Antonio

Texas

$1,270/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 $1,270 in San Antonio, TX. Overall, Columbus, OH is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than San Antonio, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $65,327 in Columbus, OH and $62,917 in San Antonio, TX — about 4% higher in Columbus, OH. 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
San Antonio, TX

Rent

Studio
$1,014
$1,052
+4% in San Antonio, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,059
$1,084
+2% in San Antonio, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,276
$1,327
+4% in San Antonio, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,369
$1,545
+13% in San Antonio, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$234,500
$219,700
+6% in Columbus, OH

Income

Median Household Income
$65,327
$62,917
+4% in Columbus, OH
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,340
$47,010
+8% in Columbus, OH

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.0 yr
34.6 yr
+1.6 yr in San Antonio, TX
Homeownership
44.3%
52.4%
+8.1 pp in San Antonio, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
38.2%
28.7%
+9.5 pp in Columbus, OH
Avg Commute
21.8 min
24.6 min
+2.8 min in San Antonio, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
484.8
605
+25% in San Antonio, TX
Property Crime
3,092.7
4,665
+51% in San Antonio, TX

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
68.5°F
+15.8°F in San Antonio, TX
Annual Precipitation
40.1 in
34.9 in
+5.3 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
$1.30
+35% in Columbus, OH

Adult base one-way fare — COTA vs VIA Metropolitan Transit (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.8
16.4
+13% in Columbus, OH
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.75
$24.61
+79% in San Antonio, TX

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.14
$4.16
+1% in San Antonio, 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 San Antonio — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Columbus or San Antonio?
Columbus, OH is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,250 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below San Antonio, TX's $1,270, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Columbus than in San Antonio?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Columbus versus $43,000 in San Antonio.
Which has lower taxes, Columbus or San Antonio?
Columbus is taxed under Ohio's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.75% and a 5.75% state sales tax); San Antonio 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).