Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbus, OH and Clifton, NJ

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbus, OH: $2,408 a month against $2,800 in Clifton, NJ, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

117

Cost of Living Index in Columbus, OH
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Columbus, OH Living Index
135

Cost of Living Index in Clifton, NJ
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Clifton, NJ Living Index

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Columbus, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,408

/mo nomad

Clifton, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$2,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Columbus, OH and in Clifton, NJ

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

A single person spends $2,408 per month in Columbus, OH vs $2,800 in Clifton, NJ, rent included.

Columbus, OH $2,408
Clifton, NJ $2,800

A couple spends around $3,599 per month in Columbus, OH vs $4,060 in Clifton, NJ, rent included.

Columbus, OH $3,599
Clifton, NJ $4,060

A family of three spends $4,790 per month in Columbus, OH vs $5,320 in Clifton, NJ, rent included.

Columbus, OH $4,790
Clifton, NJ $5,320

Columbus, OH is about 14% cheaper than Clifton, NJ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Columbus, OH and Clifton, NJ sit above the global median – Columbus, OH by 77%, Clifton, NJ by 106%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.14 $22.14

$22.59 $22.59

-1.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.7 $76.7

$81.5 $81.5

-5.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.77 $11.77

$13.20 $13.20

-10.83%

Cappuccino

$5.47 $5.47

$6.51 $6.51

-15.98%

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

$2.49 $2.49

$2.52 $2.52

-1.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 $2.08

$1.78 $1.78

16.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.83 $5.83

$7.95 $7.95

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.13 $7.13

$7.20 $7.20

-0.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 $0.92

$1.26 $1.26

-26.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$4.62 $4.62

-30.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.34 $5.34

$5.92 $5.92

-9.80%

Eggs

$3.75 $3.75

$6.20 $6.20

-39.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.73 $13.73

$13.90 $13.90

-1.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.71 $14.71

$10.18 $10.18

44.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.27 $16.27

$19.61 $19.61

-17.03%

Apples (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.10 $6.10

7.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$2.25 $2.25

-26.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$6.46 $6.46

-7.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$5.35 $5.35

-12.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.56 $3.56

-19.10%

Onion (1kg)

$3.46 $3.46

$4.32 $4.32

-19.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.12 $3.12

-27.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 $2.34

$2.68 $2.68

-12.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 $10.11

$14.69 $14.69

-31.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.97 $15.97

$15.16 $15.16

5.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.11 $2.11

$1.84 $1.84

14.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$3.62 $3.62

-17.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$4.36 $4.36

-55.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.2 $61.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.92 $2.92

1.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 $1.29

$2.21 $2.21

-41.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.57 $26.57

$41.52 $41.52

-36.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.11 $1.11

-5.41%

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

$31.4K $31.4K

$34.0K $34.0K

-7.77%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$25.8K $25.8K

-1.50%

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

$219 $219

$224 $224

-2.30%

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

$66.0 $66.0

$50.7 $50.7

30.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.4 $68.4

$68.6 $68.6

-0.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.00 $34.00

$28.90 $28.90

17.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.52 $41.52

Cinema Ticket

$13.23 $13.23

$20.41 $20.41

-35.18%

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

$1,565 $1,565

$1,991 $1,991

-21.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.0K $34.0K

$16.1K $16.1K

111.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.28 $49.28

$31.88 $31.88

54.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.65 $41.65

$19.79 $19.79

110.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.0 $80.0

$106 $106

-24.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 $111

$137 $137

-19.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,547 $1,547

$1,346 $1,346

14.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,017 $1,017

$1,388 $1,388

-26.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,554 $2,554

$2,846 $2,846

-10.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,701 $1,701

$2,190 $2,190

-22.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,488 $3,488

$8,671 $8,671

-59.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,735 $1,735

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,952 $3,952

$4,258 $4,258

-7.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.8

-2.35%

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

Last update for Columbus, OH: October 26, 2026

Last update for Clifton, NJ: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Columbus, OH

$1K 42.2%

Clifton, NJ

$1.4K 49.6% 36.5% $371

Groceries & Markets

Columbus, OH

$432 18%

Clifton, NJ

$466 16.6% 7.8% $34

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Columbus, OH

$353 14.7%

Clifton, NJ

$343 12.3% 2.8% $9.9

Eating Out

Columbus, OH

$340 14.1%

Clifton, NJ

$370 13.2% 8.8% $30

Clothing & Footwear

Columbus, OH

$127 5.3%

Clifton, NJ

$132 4.7% 4.5% $5.7

Getting Around

Columbus, OH

$78 3.3%

Clifton, NJ

$31 * 1.1% 59.9% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Columbus, OH

$60 2.5%

Clifton, NJ

$70 2.5% 15.3% $9.3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,547 in Columbus, OH versus $1,346 in Clifton, NJ. 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 8% higher in Clifton, NJ, 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 $77 in Columbus, OH versus $82 in Clifton, NJ. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $466 – making Columbus, OH the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Columbus, OH

🇺🇸 Clifton, NJ

🕒 Local time

22:14 10:14 PM

Same time as Columbus, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

905,748

79,606

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Columbus, OH Clifton, NJ 750 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Columbus, OH
Clifton, NJ

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

Columbus, OH vs Clifton, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,408 in Columbus, OH, $2,800 in Clifton, NJ – Columbus, OH comes out roughly 14% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,611 per month in Columbus, OH and $4,201 in Clifton, NJ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Clifton, NJ, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,346 there versus $1,547 in Columbus, OH.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,408 in Columbus, OH and $2,800 in Clifton, NJ. That makes Columbus, OH about 14% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,565 per month in Columbus, OH and $1,991 in Clifton, NJ. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,408 in Columbus, OH and $2,800 in Clifton, NJ. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Columbus, OH has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,408 in Columbus, OH to $2,800 in Clifton, NJ. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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