Columbia, MD Cost Of Living

Demographics | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Columbia, MD Summary

Cost of living in Columbia research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Columbia is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Maryland, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Columbia is 129, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Columbia is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Columbia ranks as the #126 cheapest in Maryland out of 188.

  • Columbia ranks as the #5,222 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Columbia is $399,000.

  • The median income in Columbia is $113,592.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
129
Columbia's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Columbia, MD?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbia has an overall cost of living index of 129, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Maryland, Columbia has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Maryland's index of 120.

The standard of living in Columbia ranks as #126 most affordable out of the 188 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies Columbia ranks as the #62 most expensive place in the Old Line State.

For more reading on life in Columbia, check out:

126 out of 188
In Maryland
5,222 out of 6,412
In America

Columbia Cost Of Living Vs. Maryland

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Columbia. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Columbia is 105.

  • The Groceries index in Columbia is 114.

  • The Health index in Columbia is 85.

  • The Housing index in Columbia is 188.

  • The Transportation index in Columbia is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Columbia is 105.

Living Expense Columbia Maryland National Average
Overall 129 120 100
Services 105 109 100
Groceries 114 108 100
Health 85 92 100
Housing 188 156 100
Transportation 101 100 100
Utilities 105 108 100
For more reading on cost of living around Maryland, check out:
Columbia Cost of Living Vs. MD

Columbia, MD Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maryland, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Columbia is $399,000.

  • The Median Rent in Columbia is $1,795.

  • The Median Income in Columbia is $113,592.

  • The Home Value To Income in Columbia is 3.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbia is 0.19x.

Statistic Columbia Maryland United States
Median Home Value $399,000 $338,500 $244,900
Median Rent $1,795 $1,485 $1,163
Median Income $113,592 $91,431 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.5x 3.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.19x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Columbia, MD
$399,000
Median Home Value
$1,795
Median Rent
$113,592
Median Income

Columbia, MD Costs By Category

Detailed Columbia Services Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Columbia Maryland
Shampoo $1.0 $1.06
Movie $13.19 $10.68
Bowling $17.08 $14.67
Haircut $22.28 $18.62
Beauty Salon $52.83 $39.05

Detailed Columbia Groceries Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Columbia Maryland
Ground Beef $4.27 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.66 $1.39
Milk $2.39 $2.05
Potatoes $4.1 $3.29
Pizza $11.99 $10.62
Beer $9.19 $9.38
Toothpaste $4.47 $2.34

Detailed Columbia Health Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Columbia Maryland
Optometrist $82.95 $108.57
Doctor $93.69 $116.17
Dentist $84.98 $99.13

Detailed Columbia Transportation Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Columbia Maryland
Gasoline $2.15 $2.22
Tire Balancing $54.77 $50.07

Detailed Columbia Utilities Costs Vs. Maryland

Item Columbia Maryland
All Electricity $176.72 $167.67
Phone $192.13 $175.64

Columbia SnackAbility

7.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
7
Diversity
10
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9.5
Education
9
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Columbia

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Columbia. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Olney, MD has a cost of living index of 150, 1.2x Columbia.

  • Ilchester, MD has a cost of living index of 133, 1.0x Columbia.

  • North Laurel, MD has a cost of living index of 129, 1.0x Columbia.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Columbia
Olney, MD 35,815 150 1.2x
Ilchester, MD 27,513 133 1.0x
North Laurel, MD 24,233 129 1.0x
Elkridge, MD 24,115 127 1.0x
Kemp Mill, MD 14,509 141 1.1x
Colesville, MD 14,468 140 1.1x
Scaggsville, MD 10,658 156 1.2x
Jessup, MD 10,516 123 1.0x
Chevy Chase, MD 9,889 204 1.6x
South Kensington, MD 8,566 181 1.4x

Articles About Maryland

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