Cost of Living Comparison Between Cincinnati, OH and Bedford Cost of Living Comparison Between Cincinnati, OH and Bedford

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,304 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $2,107 in Bedford, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,411 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $3,351 in Bedford, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,518 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $4,596 in Bedford, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH costs about 9% more than Bedford, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Cincinnati, OH and Bedford sit above the global median – Cincinnati, OH by 68%, Bedford by 54%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.86 $14.86

$19.96 £14.90

-25.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.16 $49.16

$87.1 £65.1

-43.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.70 £7.99

-8.22%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$4.64 £3.47

5.82%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.99 £1.49

15.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.19 £0.89

62.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.34 $5.34

$6.81 £5.09

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.62 $7.62

$6.16 £4.60

23.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.94 $0.94

$1.65 £1.24

-43.03%

White Bread (500g)

$3.41 $3.41

$1.48 £1.10

130.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.15 $4.15

$1.68 £1.25

147.02%

Eggs

$4.26 $4.26

$3.98 £2.97

7.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.99 $12.99

$9.59 £7.16

35.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.02 $11.02

$8.75 £6.53

25.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.18 $16.18

$13.20 £9.86

22.58%

Apples (1kg)

$5.81 $5.81

$3.31 £2.48

75.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.32 £0.99

24.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$2.62 £1.95

60.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$3.17 £2.37

46.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.55 $2.55

$1.29 £0.96

97.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.32 £0.99

137.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$1.04 £0.78

101.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.36 £1.02

40.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.51 $10.51

$23.84 £17.80

-55.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.23 $15.23

$10.88 £8.13

39.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.69 £2.01

-23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 $3.10

$2.39 £1.79

29.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.72 £2.03

-1.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$105 $105

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.78 $3.78

$4.87 £3.64

-22.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.45 £1.08

-15.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.77 $24.77

$24.39 £18.21

1.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.99 £1.49

-48.74%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.6K $35.6K

$39.6K £29.6K

-10.11%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.4K $25.4K

$41.7K £31.1K

-38.98%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$151 $151

$312 £233

-51.74%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$75.6 $75.6

$18.16 £13.56

316.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.0 $70.0

$40.22 £30.03

74.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.86 $34.86

$37.08 £27.69

-5.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.71 $13.71

Cinema Ticket

$14.33 $14.33

$16.22 £12.11

-11.65%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,439 $1,439

$955 £713

50.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.9K $19.9K

$21.6K £16.1K

-7.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.73 $44.73

$24.34 £18.18

83.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.21 $44.21

$25.78 £19.25

71.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.6 $81.6

$82.5 £61.6

-1.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$88.3 £65.9

23.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,589 $1,589

$1,126 £841

41.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,060 $1,060

$965 £721

9.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,121 $3,121

$2,414 £1,803

29.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 $1,864

$2,045 £1,527

-8.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,486 $3,486

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,100 $2,100

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,163 $4,163

$3,255 £2,431

27.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.21

4.67

32.98%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Cincinnati, OH: September 12, 2026

Last update for Bedford: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,589 in Cincinnati, OH versus $1,126 in Bedford. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 28% higher in Cincinnati, OH, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $49.00 in Cincinnati, OH versus $87.0 in Bedford. Groceries tell a different story – $391 in Cincinnati, OH vs $284 in Bedford – so Bedford wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cincinnati, OH vs Bedford: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cincinnati, OH costs about 9% more than Bedford, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,456 per month in Cincinnati, OH and $3,160 in Bedford. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bedford, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,304 in Cincinnati, OH and $2,107 in Bedford. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,439 per month in Cincinnati, OH and $955 in Bedford. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Bedford, where all-in costs run around $2,107, than in Cincinnati, OH at $2,304. In Bedford it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cincinnati, OH it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bedford – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bedford. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cincinnati, OH makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.