Moving from Des Moines to Columbus
Moving from Des Moines to Columbus
Columbus costs you $250 a month versus Des Moines. −$3,000 a year.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 28 households moved Des Moines → Columbus (about 39 people, average AGI $51,464). 28 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
| Per month | Des Moines | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home | $5,736 | $5,692 |
| Rent | $1,005 | $1,174 |
| All other costs | $1,838 | $1,875 |
| Left over | $2,893 | $2,643 |
Full line-by-line comparison →
What the move itself costs
About 698 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $2,300–$4,350
- Container or pod
- $1,600–$3,000
- Rent a truck
- $800–$1,500
Dig into Columbus
Paycheck
Take-home pay after tax and rent, and what's left at the end of the month.
Who moved
Which metros people actually left and arrived from, according to IRS tax returns.
Rent vs buy
Asking rent, the median home, property tax, and months to a down payment.
Monthly costs
Groceries, getting around, utilities, healthcare and childcare at your household size.
Daily life
Homicide and firearm death rates, heat, cars and commute.
Kids
Public-school enrollment, pupil–teacher ratio, bedrooms and childcare.
Getting there
What the move itself costs from where you live now, and how to find a mover you can trust.
Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Columbus than Des Moines?
A one-bedroom is about $1,005 in Des Moines versus $1,174 in Columbus. On a one-adult, one-bedroom household, leftover is about $250 a month lower in Columbus. Change the job or household on the comparison to see your number.
Does Columbus have state income tax?
Columbus is in Ohio, which taxes wage income, plus a local wage tax of 2.50%.
Did people actually move from Des Moines to Columbus?
When IRS county-to-county data covers this pair, the page lists how many households made the Des Moines → Columbus move and their average AGI. Leftover after tax and rent is shown for the same household on both sides.