Residential comparison · 13 facts
Columbus, OH vs San Francisco, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Columbus needs about $125,000 in San Francisco to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from San Francisco, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $45,000 in Columbus.
A few differences
- San Francisco is lower on property tax rate (0.75% vs 1.9%).
- Columbus is lower on sales tax (7.5% vs 8.63%).
- Columbus is lower on groceries index (96 vs 118).
Columbus vs San Francisco · facet by facet
| Facet | Columbus, OH | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $280,000 | $1,300,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,500/mo | $4,300/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.9% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 4.41% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 7.5% | 8.63% |
| Cost of living index | 92 | 178 |
| Groceries index | 96 | 118 |
| Utilities | $165/mo | $240/mo |
| Median household income | $62,000 | $127,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 4% | 4% |
| Crime index | 48/100 | 46/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 179 days | 259 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Columbus, OH · San Francisco, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Columbus cheaper than San Francisco?
- Columbus has the lower day-to-day cost index (92 vs 178 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in San Francisco equals $85,000 in Columbus?
- A household earning $85,000 in Columbus needs about $125,000 in San Francisco to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of San Francisco lifestyle costs about $45,000 in Columbus.