Uprootmap
Columbus vs Cincinnati
Columbus and Cincinnati
Photo: Ynsalh / Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0
Assumed income $83,730, same in both cities. Example, until you change it.
Other cities
So you know: homicide deaths in Cincinnati are close to the US rate in this release, 6.3 versus 6.5 per 100,000. CDC via County Health Rankings, CDC NVSS 2017–2023 (CHR 2025 release).
Why people look at Columbus to Cincinnati
IRS migration on this site does not list a filed flow from Columbus to Cincinnati above the cutoff in 2022-2023.
A one-bedroom asking rent is about $1,084 in Columbus and $1,168 in Cincinnati. Columbus has a state tax on wages. Cincinnati has a state tax on wages. Local pay in Cincinnati is 98% of the national level for the same work, against 98% in Columbus.
Cincinnati averages 201 sunny days, with July highs around 86°F and January nights around 29°F. Columbus is 198 sunny days, 85°F in July, 28°F in January. Commutes average 25 minutes in Cincinnati and 21 in Columbus.
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 Columbus → Cincinnati 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 Columbus and Cincinnati changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this.
What the move itself costs
About 93 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $1,600–$3,050
- Container or pod
- $1,100–$2,050
- Rent a truck
- $400–$750
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Dig into Cincinnati
Questions
Is Cincinnati cheaper than Columbus after tax and rent?
No. Cincinnati leaves about $6 less a month, so the cost of living is higher there for this household. A one-bedroom is about $1,084 in Columbus 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%.
Did people actually move from Columbus to Cincinnati?
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.