Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

95

Cost of Living Index in Owensboro, KY
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Owensboro, KY Living Index
109

Cost of Living Index in Cincinnati, OH
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Cincinnati, OH Living Index

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Owensboro, KY

🇺🇸 United States

$1,977

/mo nomad

Cincinnati, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,284

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Owensboro, KY is about 13% cheaper than Cincinnati, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.39 $19.39

$15.04 $15.04

28.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 $59.8

$50.3 $50.3

19.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 $9.82

$10.03 $10.03

-2.09%

Cappuccino

$5.53 $5.53

$5.07 $5.07

9.07%

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

$1.88 $1.88

$2.31 $2.31

-18.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.67 $1.67

-19.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.99 $3.99

$5.59 $5.59

-28.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.96 $4.96

$7.60 $7.60

-34.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$0.88 $0.88

-10.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.24 $3.24

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$4.14 $4.14

3.38%

Eggs

$3.02 $3.02

$4.09 $4.09

-26.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$13.06 $13.06

-48.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.01 $11.01

$11.07 $11.07

-0.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.10 $12.10

$16.30 $16.30

-25.77%

Apples (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.71 $5.71

-23.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.65 $1.65

-24.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 $2.69

$4.37 $4.37

-38.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.56 $3.56

$4.76 $4.76

-25.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.56 $2.56

-11.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.14 $3.14

-30.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.02 $2.02

1.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.92 $1.92

-21.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.73 $8.73

$9.75 $9.75

-10.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$14.94 $14.94

-47.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.07 $2.07

-10.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.96 $2.96

66.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.72 $2.72

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.58 $30.58

$107 $107

-71.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.54 $5.54

$3.82 $3.82

45.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.25 $1.25

-16.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$18.13 $18.13

$24.56 $24.56

-26.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 $0.86

$1.04 $1.04

-17.31%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$35.9K $35.9K

-22.24%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$26.3K $26.3K

3.48%

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

$172 $172

$151 $151

13.50%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$76.8 $76.8

-20.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 $59.7

$71.6 $71.6

-16.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.91 $49.91

$34.11 $34.11

46.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.17 $10.17

$13.79 $13.79

-26.25%

Cinema Ticket

$13.19 $13.19

$15.29 $15.29

-13.73%

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)

$74.5 $74.5

$45.25 $45.25

64.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.29 $43.29

$44.81 $44.81

-3.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.0 $68.0

$83.2 $83.2

-18.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.3 $89.3

$110 $110

-18.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 $844

$1,505 $1,505

-43.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$834 $834

$1,005 $1,005

-17.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,441 $1,441

$3,024 $3,024

-52.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,364 $1,364

$1,784 $1,784

-23.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,744 $1,744

$3,610 $3,610

-51.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,738 $1,738

$2,016 $2,016

-13.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,362 $3,362

$4,191 $4,191

-19.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.59

-0.61%

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

Last update for Owensboro, KY: October 24, 2026

Last update for Cincinnati, OH: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Owensboro, KY

$834 42.2%

Cincinnati, OH

$1K 44% 20.5% $171

Groceries & Markets

Owensboro, KY

$311 15.7%

Cincinnati, OH

$389 17% 25% $78

Eating Out

Owensboro, KY

$294 14.9%

Cincinnati, OH

$270 11.8% 8% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Owensboro, KY

$293 14.8%

Cincinnati, OH

$300 13.1% 2.5% $7.4

Clothing & Footwear

Owensboro, KY

$124 6.3%

Cincinnati, OH

$127 5.6% 2.9% $3.6

Sport & Entertainment

Owensboro, KY

$76 3.9%

Cincinnati, OH

$65 2.8% 15.2% $12

Getting Around

Owensboro, KY

$45 2.3%

Cincinnati, OH

$128 5.6% 182% $83

Cost Breakdown

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

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

Good to know

🇺🇸 Owensboro, KY

🇺🇸 Cincinnati, OH

🕒 Local time

07:17 7:17 AM

08:17 8:17 AM

1 h ahead of Owensboro, KY

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

55,525

298,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Owensboro, KY Cincinnati, OH 270 km

From you

Owensboro, KY
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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

Owensboro, KY vs Cincinnati, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,965 per month in Owensboro, KY and $3,426 in Cincinnati, OH. 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.