Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Columbus, OH Cost of Living Comparison Between Milan and Columbus, OH

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,645 per month in Milan vs $2,464 in Columbus, OH, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,044 per month in Milan vs $3,681 in Columbus, OH, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,444 per month in Milan vs $4,898 in Columbus, OH, rent included.

Milan costs about 7% more than Columbus, OH, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Milan and Columbus, OH sit above the global median – Milan by 92%, Columbus, OH by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.76 €21.30

$21.84 $21.84

13.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.3 €83.7

$76.1 $76.1

27.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.91 €11.97

$10.90 $10.90

27.61%

Cappuccino

$2.13 €1.83

$5.39 $5.39

-60.48%

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

$4.02 €3.46

$2.53 $2.53

58.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 €1.78

$2.08 $2.08

-0.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.89 €5.93

$5.95 $5.95

15.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.96 €5.99

$7.37 $7.37

-5.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 €1.54

$0.85 $0.85

110.59%

White Bread (500g)

$3.34 €2.87

$3.09 $3.09

8.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 €3.25

$5.32 $5.32

-28.95%

Eggs

$5.07 €4.36

$3.78 $3.78

34.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.70 €20.39

$14.06 $14.06

68.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 €12.93

$14.83 $14.83

1.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.74 €20.43

$15.98 $15.98

48.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.22 €2.77

$6.56 $6.56

-50.91%

Banana (1kg)

$2.55 €2.19

$1.74 $1.74

46.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.50 €3.01

$6.12 $6.12

-42.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.59 €3.95

$4.67 $4.67

-1.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 €2.12

$2.94 $2.94

-15.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 €1.85

$3.46 $3.46

-37.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 €1.58

$2.28 $2.28

-19.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 €0.51

$2.35 $2.35

-74.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 €6.47

$9.81 $9.81

-23.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.35 €8.05

$16.13 $16.13

-42.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 €1.77

$2.11 $2.11

-2.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 €2.03

$3.14 $3.14

-24.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.49 €2.14

$2.03 $2.03

22.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.87 €39.47

$60.9 $60.9

-24.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$8.07 €6.94

$2.94 $2.94

174.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.37 €2.04

$1.23 $1.23

92.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$65.0 €56.0

$27.29 $27.29

138.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.15 €1.85

$0.96 $0.96

123.96%

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

$38.3K €32.9K

$36.7K $36.7K

4.32%

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

$37.7K €32.4K

$25.3K $25.3K

48.85%

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

$267 €230

$220 $220

21.53%

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

$10.89 €9.37

$67.4 $67.4

-83.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.70 €26.41

$67.6 $67.6

-54.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$88.4 €76.0

$35.94 $35.94

145.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.05 €29.30

$41.04 $41.04

-17.03%

Cinema Ticket

$12.87 €11.08

$13.01 $13.01

-1.08%

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

$862 €742

$1,609 $1,609

-46.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K €17.3K

$34.8K $34.8K

-42.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 €91.6

$49.33 $49.33

115.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.6 €45.24

$41.91 $41.91

25.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 €101

$82.8 $82.8

41.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$170 €146

$109 $109

55.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,740 €1,498

$1,557 $1,557

11.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,223 €1,052

$1,112 $1,112

9.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,638 €3,130

$2,315 $2,315

57.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,089 €1,797

$1,889 $1,889

10.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.1K €9,559

$3,453 $3,453

221.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,102 €4,390

$1,750 $1,750

191.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,275 €1,958

$3,761 $3,761

-39.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.17

6.08

-47.86%

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

Last update for Milan: August 30, 2026

Last update for Columbus, OH: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,740 in Milan versus $1,557 in Columbus, OH. 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 65% higher in Columbus, OH, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $97.0 in Milan versus $76.0 in Columbus, OH. Groceries tell a different story – $432 in Milan vs $433 in Columbus, OH – so Milan 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

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

Milan costs about 7% more than Columbus, OH, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,967 per month in Milan and $3,696 in Columbus, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,645 in Milan and $2,464 in Columbus, OH. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 33% less in Columbus, OH. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,645 in Milan and $2,464 in Columbus, OH. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Columbus, OH costs $2,464 versus $2,645 in Milan. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Columbus, OH. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Milan makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.