Uprootmap
Chicago vs Columbus
Chicago and Columbus
Photo: Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 2.5
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Columbus are under the US rate in this release, 3.1 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Chicago to Columbus
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Chicago to Columbus above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,782 in Chicago and $1,084 in Columbus. Chicago has a state tax on wages. Columbus has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Columbus is 98% of the national level for the same work, against 105% in Chicago.
Columbus averages 198 sunny days, with July highs around 85°F and January nights around 28°F. Chicago is 189 sunny days, 84°F in July, 20°F in January. Commutes average 21 minutes in Columbus and 33 in Chicago.
These figures are projections built from available public data. Conditions change, and the numbers may not reflect current prices, taxes, or immigration rules. Check official sources before you make decisions.
Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Chicago → Columbus pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
The monthly number is take-home pay minus rent and the other bills. The gap between Chicago and Columbus changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 245 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,800–$3,350
- Container or pod
- $1,200–$2,300
- Rent a truck
- $500–$900
Explore more
Dig into Columbus
Questions
Is Columbus cheaper than Chicago after tax and rent?
Yes. Columbus leaves about $670 more a month, so the cost of living is lower there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,782 in Chicago and $1,084 in Columbus.
Does Columbus have state income tax?
Columbus is in Indiana, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 1.50%.
Did people actually move from Chicago to Columbus?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.