Columbus, MS Cost Of Living

Columbus cost of living index

In the event that the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used. Each cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. If the amount is below 100, it is lower than the national average. If the amount is above 100, it is higher than the national average.
Index	Columbus	Mississippi	National
Cost of living index	77	82	100
Index	Columbus	Mississippi	National
Goods & Services index	81	89	100
Groceries index	91	94	100
Health care index	93	91	100
Housing index	61	63	100
Transportation index	95	91	100
Utilities index	74	89	100

Here we can see a simple outline of the cost of living in Columbus, MS. As you can see, with the average cost of living in Columbus, MS being 77, that puts it 6% lower than the average of Mississippi and 23% lower than our nation's average. This simple outline of the cost of living index was formulated using prices of: goods and services (weighted 33%), housing prices (weighted 30%), groceries (weighted 13%), utilities (weighted 10%), transportation (weighted 9%), and health care (weighted 5%). Thus, goods/services, along with housing influences the majority of the cost of living index. The price of daily goods and services is a valuable and reliable number to be aware of when considering the general price of the city's goods. In the case of Columbus, MS, the price of goods and services are 9% lower than the average of Mississippi as well as 19% lower than the nation's average.

Did you know?

The cost of living in Columbus is 6% lower than the Mississippi average.
The cost of living in Columbus is 23% lower than the national average.
The cost of housing in Columbus is 39% lower than the national average.
Mississippi general sales tax is 37% higher than the national average.
Mississippi state income tax is 35% higher than the national average.

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Salary Calculator

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Price difference in compared to

Cost of living index
Goods & Services index
Groceries index
Health care index
Housing index
Transportation index
Utilities index

Use the salary calculator to compare your current income in Columbus, MS to any other city in the country. The calculator will tell you how much income you would need to make in a particular city to live at the same level based on the cost of living in each city. For example, if the cost of living in the city you are looking to move to is higher than that of Columbus, MS, then you would need to earn a higher salary in order to enjoy the same standard of living. To use the Columbus, MS salary calculator, enter the name of the new city, then move the slider to your current salary level. The salary calculator will do the rest and let you know if your salary would need to increase or decrease for the new city. You will also see a complete overview of the cost of living.

Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

Median Income	Per Year	Per Month	Max Budget (28% DTI)	Max Budget (36% DTI)
Owners	$45,893	$3,824	$1,071	$1,377
Renters	$21,618	$1,802	$504	$649

How much of your monthly income goes to housing can tell you whether or not you can afford housing in Columbus, MS, as well as what the average cost of living is. Generally, a good rule to follow is that the debt-to-income (DTI) level you want to maintain is 28 percent or less of your income on your rent or mortgage payment and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses and debts. In Columbus, MS homeowners have a median income of $45,893. Using that number, you will come up with a maximum of $1,071 per month that can be spent on the cost of housing. For those who are renting instead of owning, the median income is $21,618, which means there is a maximum of $504 to be spent on the costs of renting a home or apartment.

Mississippi Sales Tax

State	General Sales Tax	With Max Surtax
Mississippi	7%	7.25%

Mississippi Income Tax

State	Income Tax (Low)	Income Tax (High)
Mississippi	3%	5%

When assessing the complete cost of living in Columbus, MS, the Mississippi income tax and the Mississippi sales tax percentages should unquestionably be taken into consideration. Sales taxes aren't just levies imposed onto sold goods, but they also include taxes that are charged when services are provided for a fee. The rates are different from state to state and can run has high as 7 percent. Some states have no sales tax at all. The Mississippi maximum surtax is 7.25%, and the Mississippi sales tax is 7%. By contrast, income tax is an unfortunate obligation that is charged by the government against earnings. Just like sales taxes, the rates for income taxes differ from state to state. They also decrease or increase according to the individual's tax bracket. Tax rates can run as high as 9 percent, with a minimum of zero. Income tax rates range from 3% to 5% in Mississippi.

Goods & Services

Item	Columbus	National avg.	Difference
Haircut	$13.89	$16.09	13.6%
Beauty Salon	$24.32	$37.33	34.9%
Toothpaste	$1.68	$2.45	31.5%
Shampoo	$0.74	$1.00	25.7%
Movie	$9.50	$10.28	7.6%
Bowling	$4.25	$4.93	13.8%

Groceries

Item	Columbus	National avg.	Difference
Ground Beef	$3.48	$3.80	8.6%
Fried Chicken	$1.04	$1.40	25.5%
Milk	$1.98	$2.01	1.5%
Potatoes	$3.20	$3.01	6.3%
Pizza	$9.36	$9.89	5.3%
Beer	$7.99	$8.90	10.2%

Health Care

Item	Columbus	National avg.	Difference
Optometrist	$129.00	$102.16	26.3%
Doctor	$81.00	$108.36	25.2%
Dentist	$91.50	$92.53	1.1%
Ibuprofen	$8.18	$9.28	11.8%
Lipitor	$437.11	$425.82	2.7%

Housing

Item	Columbus	National avg.	Difference
Home Price	$102,000.00	$184,700.00	44.8%
Avg. Mortgage Payment	$840.45	$1,202.44	30.1%
Apartment Rent	$709.00	$949.00	25.3%

Transportation

Item	Columbus	National avg.	Difference
Gasoline	$2.03	$2.24	9.4%
Tire Balancing	$48.00	$46.29	3.7%

Utilities

Item	Columbus	National avg.	Difference
All Electricity	$128.77	$165.96	22.4%
Phone	$20.00	$28.68	30.3%

Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

Nearby cities with low cost of living

City, State	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Macedonia, AL	155	84	-16%
Ethelsville, AL	171	70	-30%
Crawford, MS	499	70	-30%
Artesia, MS	367	70	-30%
West Point, MS	11,042	75	-25%
Columbus, MS	24,833	77	-23%

Cities with similar population

City, State	Population	Cost of Living Index	National Avg.
Austin, MN	24,841	84	-16%
Elmwood Park, IL	24,845	112	12%
West Odessa, TX	24,821	84	-16%
Galt, CA	24,848	115	15%
Coronado, CA	24,852	250	150%
Columbus, MS	24,833	77	-23%

Source: The Columbus, MS cost of living data displayed above is derived from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) for 2017.

Columbus, MS Cost of Living