Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cincinnati, OH and Owensboro, KY

For one person, living is cheaper in Owensboro, KY: $1,977 a month against $2,284 in Cincinnati, OH, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

109

Cost of Living Index in Cincinnati, OH
Learn more

Cincinnati, OH Living Index
95

Cost of Living Index in Owensboro, KY
Learn more

Owensboro, KY Living Index

Jump to prices

Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,284

/mo nomad

Owensboro, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,977

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cincinnati, OH and in Owensboro, KY

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cincinnati, OH and in Owensboro, KY actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,284 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $1,977 in Owensboro, KY, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH $2,284
Owensboro, KY $1,977

A couple spends around $3,409 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $2,919 in Owensboro, KY, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH $3,409
Owensboro, KY $2,919

A family of three spends $4,534 per month in Cincinnati, OH vs $3,861 in Owensboro, KY, rent included.

Cincinnati, OH $4,534
Owensboro, KY $3,861

Cincinnati, OH costs about 16% more than Owensboro, KY, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Cincinnati, OH and Owensboro, KY sit above the global median – Cincinnati, OH by 68%, Owensboro, KY by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.04 $15.04

$19.39 $19.39

-22.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.3 $50.3

$59.8 $59.8

-15.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.03 $10.03

$9.82 $9.82

2.14%

Cappuccino

$5.07 $5.07

$5.53 $5.53

-8.32%

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

$2.31 $2.31

$1.88 $1.88

22.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.35 $1.35

23.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.59 $5.59

$3.99 $3.99

40.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.60 $7.60

$4.96 $4.96

53.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$0.79 $0.79

11.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 $3.24

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$4.28 $4.28

-3.27%

Eggs

$4.09 $4.09

$3.02 $3.02

35.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 $13.06

$6.67 $6.67

95.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.07 $11.07

$11.01 $11.01

0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.30 $16.30

$12.10 $12.10

34.71%

Apples (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$4.34 $4.34

31.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.24 $1.24

33.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.69 $2.69

62.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.56 $3.56

33.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.27 $2.27

12.78%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.17 $2.17

44.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.06 $2.06

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.51 $1.51

27.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.75 $9.75

$8.73 $8.73

11.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.94 $14.94

$7.85 $7.85

90.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.86 $1.86

11.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$4.94 $4.94

-40.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.72 $2.72

$1.02 $1.02

166.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

$30.58 $30.58

249.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 $3.82

$5.54 $5.54

-31.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.04 $1.04

20.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.56 $24.56

$18.13 $18.13

35.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.86 $0.86

20.93%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.9K $27.9K

28.59%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$27.2K $27.2K

-3.36%

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

$151 $151

$172 $172

-11.89%

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

$76.8 $76.8

$60.9 $60.9

26.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.6 $71.6

$59.7 $59.7

19.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.11 $34.11

$49.91 $49.91

-31.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.79 $13.79

$10.17 $10.17

35.59%

Cinema Ticket

$15.29 $15.29

$13.19 $13.19

15.92%

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

$1,341 $1,341

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.1K $19.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.25 $45.25

$74.5 $74.5

-39.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.81 $44.81

$43.29 $43.29

3.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 $83.2

$68.0 $68.0

22.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 $110

$89.3 $89.3

22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,505 $1,505

$844 $844

78.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,005 $1,005

$834 $834

20.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,024 $3,024

$1,441 $1,441

109.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 $1,784

$1,364 $1,364

30.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,610 $3,610

$1,744 $1,744

106.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,016 $2,016

$1,738 $1,738

15.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,191 $4,191

$3,362 $3,362

24.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.55

0.61%

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

Last update for Cincinnati, OH: October 26, 2026

Last update for Owensboro, KY: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Cincinnati, OH

$1K 44%

Owensboro, KY

$834 42.2% 17% $171

Groceries & Markets

Cincinnati, OH

$389 17%

Owensboro, KY

$311 15.7% 20% $78

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cincinnati, OH

$300 13.1%

Owensboro, KY

$293 14.8% 2.5% $7.4

Eating Out

Cincinnati, OH

$270 11.8%

Owensboro, KY

$294 14.9% 8.7% $23

Getting Around

Cincinnati, OH

$128 5.6%

Owensboro, KY

$45 2.3% 64.5% $83

Clothing & Footwear

Cincinnati, OH

$127 5.6%

Owensboro, KY

$124 6.3% 2.8% $3.6

Sport & Entertainment

Cincinnati, OH

$65 2.8%

Owensboro, KY

$76 3.9% 17.9% $12

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,505 in Cincinnati, OH versus $844 in Owensboro, KY. 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 25% higher in Cincinnati, OH. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Cincinnati, OH versus $60 in Owensboro, KY. Groceries tell a different story – $389 in Cincinnati, OH vs $311 in Owensboro, KY – so Owensboro, KY wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 Owensboro, KY

🕒 Local time

14:06 2:06 PM

13:06 1:06 PM

1 h behind Cincinnati, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

298,800

55,525

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Cincinnati, OH Owensboro, KY 270 km

From you

Cincinnati, OH
Owensboro, KY

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Owensboro, KY: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,284 in Cincinnati, OH, $1,977 in Owensboro, KY – roughly 16% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,426 per month in Cincinnati, OH and $2,965 in Owensboro, KY. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Owensboro, KY, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $844 there versus $1,505 in Cincinnati, OH.

Public transport costs about 71% less in Owensboro, KY. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 25% more in Cincinnati, OH, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

It depends on your priorities. Cincinnati, OH has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,977 in Owensboro, KY to $2,284 in Cincinnati, OH. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Owensboro, KY. 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.