Columbus vs Indianapolis
Columbus, OH · Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis is 2% cheaper than Columbus overall.
Home Price
Columbus: $265,000
Indianapolis: $260,000
Monthly Rent
Columbus: $1,199/mo
Indianapolis: $915/mo
COL Index
Columbus: 90
Indianapolis: 88
Median Income
Columbus: $64,600
Indianapolis: $64,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Columbus has the same purchasing power as $97,778 in Indianapolis — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Indianapolis cost 2% more (-$5,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Indianapolis saves you $284/month — $3,408 per year. Median rent: $1,199/mo in Columbus vs $915/mo in Indianapolis.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Columbus owners pay roughly $4,240/year in property taxes vs $2,158/year in Indianapolis. That's a $2,082 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $64,600 in Columbus and $64,200 in Indianapolis. Incomes are similar, so cost of living differences matter more.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 23 minutes in Columbus vs 24 minutes in Indianapolis. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Columbus to Indianapolis, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Columbus | Equivalent in Indianapolis | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $48,889 | -$1,111 |
| $75,000 | $73,333 | -$1,667 |
| $100,000 | $97,778 | -$2,222 |
| $150,000 | $146,667 | -$3,333 |
| $200,000 | $195,556 | -$4,444 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Columbus Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Columbus vs Indianapolis: Common Questions
Is Columbus or Indianapolis cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Indianapolis is cheaper overall. Columbus has a COL index of 90 while Indianapolis scores 88 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Columbus and Indianapolis?
The median home price in Columbus is $265,000 vs $260,000 in Indianapolis — a difference of $5,000 (2%).
What salary do I need in Indianapolis to match my Columbus income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Columbus is equivalent to $97,778 in Indianapolis in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Indianapolis has a lower property tax rate (0.83% vs 1.6%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,158/year vs $4,240/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.