

Ames vs Cincinnati
$306/mo more in Cincinnati
AmesCincinnatiAbout 526 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Cincinnati leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,707/mo in Cincinnati. $2,401/mo in Ames. +$3,672 a year.
Ames
$2,401
left each month
Cincinnati
$2,707
+$306 vs Ames
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
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+$306 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Ames | Cincinnati | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,208 | $7,618 | +$1,410 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,332 | $1,862 | +$531 |
| Take-home pay | $4,877 | $5,756 | +$879 |
| Rent | $760 | $1,168 | +$408 |
| Getting around | $457 | $520 | +$63 |
| Groceries | $347 | $376 | +$29 |
| Healthcare | $391 | $423 | +$32 |
| Utilities | $217 | $235 | +$18 |
| Everything else | $304 | $329 | +$25 |
| Left over | $2,401 | $2,707 | +$306 |
Salary to match Ames
$86,000
Gross pay in Cincinnati that leaves the same amount as $74,500 in Ames.
Tax difference
−$1,350
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 21.4% in Ames, 24.4% in Cincinnati.
More about Cincinnati
Ames, IA in full
A flat 3.8% state income tax, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $905 and 207 sunny days; commutes average 19 minutes.
Cincinnati, OH in full
State income tax topping out at 3.5%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,391 and 201 sunny days; commutes average 25 minutes.
The other way
Start in Cincinnati.
Cincinnati → Ames →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Cincinnati than Ames?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Cincinnati leaves about $306 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $760 in Ames and $1,168 in Cincinnati.
Does Cincinnati have state income tax?
Cincinnati is in Ohio, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 2.00%.
What changes if you move from Ames to Cincinnati?
The paycheck is taxed in Ohio. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Ames and Cincinnati changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.