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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Data: HUD rent estimates, BLS cost of living

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You'd spend $170/month more in Columbus, OH

$150.0K in your current city equals $152.0K in Columbus, OH

Rent data from HUD ZIP-level estimates ยท COL index from El Paso, TX area
Overall Cost
โ†‘ 2.3%
More expensive
Monthly Impact
$170
Extra cost
Annual Impact
$2.0K
Per year

Based on monthly living costs (rent, groceries, utilities, transport, healthcare). Home purchase prices shown separately below.

El Paso, TX

Population:679K
Cost Index:
100
100 = national average
Median Home:$216K

Columbus, OH

Population:906K
Cost Index:
102
(2% above avg)
Median Home:$263K

El Paso, TX

The Lone Star State

679K
Population
State Tax
No Income Tax

Located in Texas, this city has a population of 679K residents.

๐Ÿ’ก Advantage: Texas has no state income tax!

Columbus, OH

The Buckeye State

906K
Population
State Tax
Yes

Located in Ohio, this city has a population of 906K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Annual spending: El Paso, TX vs Columbus, OH

Transportation
โ†‘ 9.9%
El Paso, TX
$1,243
Columbus, OH
$1,366
Difference
$123
more
Healthcare
โ†‘ 21.0%
El Paso, TX
$502
Columbus, OH
$607
Difference
$105
more
Other
โ†“ 5.1%
El Paso, TX
$1,641
Columbus, OH
$1,557
Difference
$83.70
less
Groceries
โ†‘ 3.2%
El Paso, TX
$939
Columbus, OH
$969
Difference
$29.98
more
Housing
โ†‘ 1.3%
El Paso, TX
$2,027
Columbus, OH
$2,053
Difference
$25.99
more
All Utilities
โ†“ 4.5%
El Paso, TX
$486
Columbus, OH
$464
Difference
$21.86
less

๐Ÿ›๏ธ Local Income Taxes

Columbus, OH: Columbus Municipal Income Tax$3,750/yr (2.5%)

El Paso, TX has no local income tax.

Local taxes are in addition to state income tax. Not all cities levy local income taxes.

๐Ÿ Rent Comparison

Studio
From$800
To$1,020
โ†‘ $220
1 Bed
From$990
To$1,100
โ†‘ $110
2 Bed
From$1,160
To$1,315
โ†‘ $155
3 Bed
From$1,590
To$1,575
โ†“ $15.00
El Paso, TXZIP-level data

1BR range: $920โ€“$1,330/mo

Columbus, OHZIP-level data

1BR range: $870โ€“$1,790/mo

๐Ÿ’ก Note: Rent prices are based on HUD Fair Market Rent data and represent median costs. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$6,838
Monthly in El Paso, TX
$7,017
Monthly in Columbus, OH
$179
Difference

Home Values

El Paso
Columbus
$216K
Median Value
$263K
โ†‘ +1.1%
YoY Change
โ†“ -0.4%
โ†‘ +42%
5-Year Change
โ†‘ +28.8%
$137K - $405K
Price Range
$95K - $406K

Homes in Columbus are 22% more expensive than El Paso

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings
โ†“ $4.4K
More taxes
Monthly Difference
$369
Less take-home
Effective Rate Diff
3.0%
Rate difference

El Paso, TX

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Texas State Tax
No state income tax
$0
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 24.7%
$37.0K
Take-Home Pay
$9,416/month
$113.0K

Columbus, OH

Federal Income Tax
Effective: 18.9%
$25.5K
Ohio State Tax
Effective: 3.0%
$4.4K
FICA Taxes
Social Security + Medicare
$11.5K
Total Taxes
Effective: 27.6%
$41.4K
Take-Home Pay
$9,047/month
$108.6K

Additional Tax Information

El Paso, TX Tax Rates

Sales Tax:8.2%
Property Tax:1.8%

Columbus, OH Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.2%
Property Tax:1.6%

๐Ÿ’ก Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

El Paso
Columbus
67 Moderate
Air Quality
53 Moderate
22.1%
Good Air Days
41.3%
95 High
Climate Risk
98 High
๐ŸŒŠ๐ŸŒกโ˜€
Top Hazards
๐ŸŒŠ๐ŸŒก๐ŸŒช
โ–ฒ+2.7ยฐF
2050 Outlook
โ–ฒ+3.1ยฐF
97 days
Heat Days >95ยฐF
18 days
โ–ฒ+2.7ยฐF
2050 Outlook
โ–ฒ+3.1ยฐF
97 days
Heat Days >95ยฐF
18 days

๐Ÿ’ฐ See how taxes change too โ€” compare take-home pay between Texas and Ohio on TaxTakeHome.com

Where your money goes further

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