

Cincinnati vs Indianapolis
$240/mo less in Indianapolis
CincinnatiIndianapolisAbout 101 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Indianapolis costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- Real winters
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,472/mo in Indianapolis. $2,712/mo in Cincinnati. −$2,880 a year.
Cincinnati
$2,712
left each month
Indianapolis
$2,472
−$240 vs Cincinnati
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 361 households moved Cincinnati → Indianapolis (avg AGI $64,709). 374 went the other way. The whole move →
−$240 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Cincinnati | Indianapolis | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $7,625 | $7,407 | −$218 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,864 | $1,867 | +$2 |
| Take-home pay | $5,761 | $5,540 | −$220 |
| Rent | $1,168 | $1,189 | +$21 |
| Getting around | $520 | $545 | +$25 |
| Groceries | $376 | $368 | −$8 |
| Healthcare | $423 | $414 | −$9 |
| Utilities | $235 | $230 | −$5 |
| Everything else | $329 | $322 | −$7 |
| Left over | $2,712 | $2,472 | −$240 |
Salary to match Cincinnati
$93,500
Gross pay in Indianapolis that leaves the same amount as $91,500 in Cincinnati.
Tax difference
−$802
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 24.5% in Cincinnati, 25.2% in Indianapolis.
More about Indianapolis
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.
Indianapolis, IN in full
Cheap housing, a 3% flat state tax, and a short commute.
The other way
Start in Indianapolis.
Indianapolis → Cincinnati →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Indianapolis than Cincinnati?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Indianapolis leaves about $240 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,168 in Cincinnati and $1,189 in Indianapolis.
Does Indianapolis have state income tax?
Indianapolis is in Indiana, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 2.02%.
What changes if you move from Cincinnati to Indianapolis?
The paycheck is taxed in Indiana. 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 Cincinnati and Indianapolis 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.