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 $2,467 per month in Milan vs $2,635 in Columbus, OH, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,845 per month in Milan vs $3,906 in Columbus, OH, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,223 per month in Milan vs $5,178 in Columbus, OH, rent included.

Milan is about 6% cheaper than Columbus, OH, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Milan and Columbus, OH sit above the global median – Milan by 85%, Columbus, OH by 97%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.53 €20.61

$20.09 $20.09

17.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 €80.1

$79.9 $79.9

14.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.72 €11.14

$10.81 $10.81

17.67%

Cappuccino

$2.10 €1.84

$4.81 $4.81

-56.34%

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

$3.35 €2.93

$2.60 $2.60

28.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 €1.27

$2.27 $2.27

-36.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.02 €6.15

$5.88 $5.88

19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 €4.94

$7.06 $7.06

-20.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 €1.55

$0.83 $0.83

113.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.84 €2.49

$3.14 $3.14

-9.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.28 €2.87

$4.13 $4.13

-20.58%

Eggs

$4.26 €3.73

$3.28 $3.28

29.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.76 €17.31

$12.89 $12.89

53.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.96 €11.35

$14.15 $14.15

-8.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.27 €21.25

$16.32 $16.32

48.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.83 €2.48

$5.93 $5.93

-52.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 €2.08

$1.29 $1.29

84.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.34 €2.92

$5.70 $5.70

-41.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.90 €3.42

$5.09 $5.09

-23.38%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 €2.23

$3.64 $3.64

-30.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 €1.95

$2.98 $2.98

-25.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.64 €1.43

$2.27 $2.27

-27.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 €0.61

$2.06 $2.06

-66.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.13 €6.24

$9.47 $9.47

-24.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.28 €8.13

$16.75 $16.75

-44.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 €2.16

$1.99 $1.99

23.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 €2.75

$2.59 $2.59

21.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.53 €2.21

$2.05 $2.05

23.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$44.83 €39.26

$61.0 $61.0

-26.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.97 €6.98

$3.09 $3.09

157.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.66 €2.33

$1.29 $1.29

106.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.69 €34.76

$27.48 $27.48

44.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.05 €1.80

$0.87 $0.87

135.63%

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

$34.1K €29.8K

$29.5K $29.5K

15.56%

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

$36.1K €31.6K

$25.4K $25.4K

42.09%

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

$215 €188

$270 $270

-20.34%

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

$11.65 €10.20

$60.2 $60.2

-80.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.28 €27.40

$68.5 $68.5

-54.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.0 €66.6

$46.93 $46.93

61.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$37.56 €32.89

$39.93 $39.93

-5.94%

Cinema Ticket

$11.38 €9.96

$12.08 $12.08

-5.79%

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

$878 €769

$1,214 $1,214

-27.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.4K €14.3K

$15.5K $15.5K

5.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$112 €98.2

$55.3 $55.3

102.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.4 €46.73

$39.16 $39.16

36.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 €101

$80.6 $80.6

43.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$169 €148

$104 $104

62.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,573 €1,378

$1,601 $1,601

-1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 €984

$1,215 $1,215

-7.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,208 €2,810

$2,953 $2,953

8.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 €1,795

$2,068 $2,068

-0.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.7K €9,333

$3,506 $3,506

203.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,344 €4,680

$1,764 $1,764

202.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,208 €1,934

$3,741 $3,741

-40.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.25

6.51

-50.08%

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

Last update for Milan: July 12, 2026

Last update for Columbus, OH: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,573 in Milan versus $1,601 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 69% higher in Columbus, 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 $91.0 in Milan versus $80.0 in Columbus, OH. Groceries tell a different story – $399 in Milan vs $413 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

Columbus, OH costs about 7% more than Milan, 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 $3,701 per month in Milan and $3,952 in Columbus, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Milan, 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 $2,467 in Milan and $2,635 in Columbus, OH. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 36% less in Milan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,467 in Milan and $2,635 in Columbus, OH. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Milan costs $2,467 versus $2,635 in Columbus, OH. 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 Milan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Columbus, OH makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.