Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Columbus, OH and Peoria, AZ

For one person, living is cheaper in Columbus, OH: $2,491 a month against $2,731 in Peoria, AZ, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Peoria, AZ outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Columbus, OH
🇺🇸 United States
$2,491
/mo nomad
Peoria, AZ
🇺🇸 United States
$2,731
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Columbus, OH and in Peoria, AZ

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 Peoria, AZ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,491 per month in Columbus, OH vs $2,731 in Peoria, AZ, rent included.

  • Columbus, OH $2,491
  • Peoria, AZ $2,731

A couple spends around $3,714 per month in Columbus, OH vs $2,893 in Peoria, AZ, rent included.

  • Columbus, OH $3,714
  • Peoria, AZ $2,893

A family of three spends $4,936 per month in Columbus, OH vs $3,055 in Peoria, AZ, rent included.

  • Columbus, OH $4,936
  • Peoria, AZ $3,055

Columbus, OH is about 9% cheaper than Peoria, AZ, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Columbus, OH and Peoria, AZ sit above the global median – Columbus, OH by 84%, Peoria, AZ by 102%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Columbus, OH
Peoria, AZ
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$22.03 $22.03
$19.64 $19.64
12.17%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.8 $77.8
$85.6 $85.6
-9.17%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.86 $11.86
$14.78 $14.78
-19.76%
Cappuccino
$5.49 $5.49
$5.76 $5.76
-4.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$3.14 $3.14
-19.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99 $1.99
$2.22 $2.22
-10.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.87 $5.87
$6.16 $6.16
-4.71%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.19 $7.19
$8.18 $8.18
-12.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Columbus, OH
Peoria, AZ
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.90 $0.90
$0.80 $0.80
12.50%
White Bread (500g)
$3.13 $3.13
$3.98 $3.98
-21.36%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.27 $5.27
$6.48 $6.48
-18.67%
Eggs
$3.78 $3.78
$4.28 $4.28
-11.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.83 $13.83
$13.36 $13.36
3.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$14.55 $14.55
$11.51 $11.51
26.41%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$15.83 $15.83
$17.18 $17.18
-7.86%
Apples (1kg)
$6.42 $6.42
$4.47 $4.47
43.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 $1.73
$1.90 $1.90
-8.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$6.05 $6.05
$4.16 $4.16
45.43%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.81 $4.81
$4.40 $4.40
9.32%
Potato (1kg)
$2.84 $2.84
$3.79 $3.79
-25.07%
Onion (1kg)
$3.45 $3.45
$2.88 $2.88
19.79%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.17 $2.17
$2.06 $2.06
5.34%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.37 $2.37
$2.57 $2.57
-7.78%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.06 $10.06
$11.05 $11.05
-8.96%
Wine (Bottle)
$16.46 $16.46
$13.34 $13.34
23.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.12 $2.12
$2.46 $2.46
-13.82%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.01 $3.01
$3.08 $3.08
-2.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Columbus, OH
Peoria, AZ
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.98 $1.98
$1.96 $1.96
1.02%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$63.2 $63.2
$64.8 $64.8
-2.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.92 $2.92
$2.81 $2.81
3.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.30 $1.30
$1.36 $1.36
-4.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$27.20 $27.20
$36.28 $36.28
-25.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.00 $1.00
$1.08 $1.08
-7.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$31.0K $31.0K
$36.9K $36.9K
-15.90%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$25.9K $25.9K
-0.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Columbus, OH
Peoria, AZ
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$222 $222
$237 $237
-6.03%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$65.4 $65.4
$60.8 $60.8
7.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.8 $67.8
$74.2 $74.2
-8.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Columbus, OH
Peoria, AZ
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$35.63 $35.63
$21.66 $21.66
64.50%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$41.46 $41.46
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.23 $13.23
$12.99 $12.99
1.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Columbus, OH
Peoria, AZ
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,610 $1,610
$1,113 $1,113
44.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$33.9K $33.9K
$15.8K $15.8K
115.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Columbus, OH
Peoria, AZ
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$48.89 $48.89
$54.2 $54.2
-9.73%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.71 $41.71
$43.67 $43.67
-4.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.2 $80.2
$97.8 $97.8
-18.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 $109
$114 $114
-4.43%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Columbus, OH
Peoria, AZ
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,543 $1,543
$1,548 $1,548
-0.34%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,096 $1,096
$1,337 $1,337
-17.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,398 $2,398
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,839 $1,839
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,398 $3,398
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,763 $1,763
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Columbus, OH
Peoria, AZ
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,995 $3,995
$4,535 $4,535
-11.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.64
6.63
0.15%

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

Last update for Columbus, OH: October 18, 2026

Last update for Peoria, AZ: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Columbus, OH
$1.1K
Peoria, AZ
$1.3K 21.9% $241
Groceries & Markets
Columbus, OH
$431
Peoria, AZ
$414 4% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Columbus, OH
$356
Peoria, AZ
$372 4.5% $16
Eating Out
Columbus, OH
$340
Peoria, AZ
$339 0.1% $0.4
Clothing & Footwear
Columbus, OH
$126
Peoria, AZ
$139 10.7% $13
Getting Around
Columbus, OH
$81
Peoria, AZ
$82 2.2% $1.8
Sport & Entertainment
Columbus, OH
$62
Peoria, AZ
$48 23.3% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,543 in Columbus, OH versus $1,548 in Peoria, AZ. 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 14% higher in Peoria, AZ, 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 $78.0 in Columbus, OH versus $86.0 in Peoria, AZ. Groceries tell a different story – $431 in Columbus, OH vs $414 in Peoria, AZ – so Peoria, AZ wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Columbus, OH
🇺🇸 Peoria, AZ
🕒 Local time
12:12 12:12 PM
09:12 9:12 AM
3 h behind Columbus, OH
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
905,748
113,150
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Columbus, OH Peoria, AZ 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Columbus, OH
  • Peoria, AZ

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 Peoria, AZ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Columbus, OH or Peoria, AZ?
Peoria, AZ costs about 10% more than Columbus, OH, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Columbus, OH and in Peoria, AZ?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,737 per month in Columbus, OH and $4,097 in Peoria, AZ. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Columbus, OH or Peoria, AZ?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Columbus, OH, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Columbus, OH compared to Peoria, AZ?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,491 in Columbus, OH and $2,731 in Peoria, AZ. That's a gap of about 10%.
How expensive is transport in Columbus, OH compared to Peoria, AZ?
Public transport costs about 3% less in Columbus, OH. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Columbus, OH or in Peoria, AZ?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,491 in Columbus, OH and $2,731 in Peoria, AZ. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Columbus, OH or Peoria, AZ?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Columbus, OH costs $2,491 versus $2,731 in Peoria, AZ. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Columbus, OH or to Peoria, AZ?
If budget matters most, go with Columbus, OH. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Peoria, AZ makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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