Columbia, MS Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Columbia, MS 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 Mississippi, 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 81, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Columbia is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Columbia ranks as the #19 cheapest in Mississippi out of 69.

  • Columbia ranks as the #290 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Columbia is $85,100.

  • The median income in Columbia is $24,007.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
81
Columbia's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Columbia, MS?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Columbia has an overall cost of living index of 81, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Mississippi, Columbia has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Mississippi's index of 86.

The standard of living in Columbia ranks as #19 most affordable out of the 69 places we measured in Mississippi. By definition, that implies Columbia ranks as the #50 most expensive place in the Magnolia State.

For more reading on life in Columbia, check out:

19 out of 69
In Mississippi
290 out of 6,412
In America

Columbia Cost Of Living Vs. Mississippi

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 91.

  • The Groceries index in Columbia is 104.

  • The Health index in Columbia is 92.

  • The Housing index in Columbia is 50.

  • The Transportation index in Columbia is 89.

  • The Utilities index in Columbia is 95.

Living Expense Columbia Mississippi National Average
Overall 81 86 100
Services 91 92 100
Groceries 104 94 100
Health 92 98 100
Housing 50 69 100
Transportation 89 91 100
Utilities 95 87 100
For more reading on cost of living around Mississippi, check out:
Columbia Cost of Living Vs. MS

Columbia, MS Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Mississippi, 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 $85,100.

  • The Median Rent in Columbia is $602.

  • The Median Income in Columbia is $24,007.

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

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Columbia is 0.3x.

Statistic Columbia Mississippi United States
Median Home Value $85,100 $133,000 $244,900
Median Rent $602 $830 $1,163
Median Income $24,007 $49,111 $69,021
Home Value To Income 3.5x 2.7x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.3x 0.2x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Columbia, MS
$85,100
Median Home Value
$602
Median Rent
$24,007
Median Income

Columbia, MS Costs By Category

Detailed Columbia Services Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item Columbia Mississippi
Shampoo $1.21 $1.06
Movie $11.11 $10.68
Bowling $15.5 $14.67
Haircut $18.72 $18.62
Beauty Salon $36.49 $39.05

Detailed Columbia Groceries Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item Columbia Mississippi
Ground Beef $4.02 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.3 $1.39
Milk $2.37 $2.05
Potatoes $3.53 $3.29
Pizza $9.49 $10.62
Beer $9.39 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.13 $2.34

Detailed Columbia Health Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item Columbia Mississippi
Optometrist $105.7 $108.57
Doctor $95.9 $116.17
Dentist $88.87 $99.13

Detailed Columbia Transportation Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item Columbia Mississippi
Gasoline $1.88 $2.22
Tire Balancing $49.67 $50.07

Detailed Columbia Utilities Costs Vs. Mississippi

Item Columbia Mississippi
All Electricity $153.76 $167.67
Phone $180.88 $175.64

Columbia SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
3
Affordability
5
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
7
Education
4
Commute
6

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:

  • Hattiesburg, MS has a cost of living index of 87, 1.1x Columbia.

  • Brookhaven, MS has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x Columbia.

  • Petal, MS has a cost of living index of 91, 1.1x Columbia.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Columbia
Hattiesburg, MS 47,074 87 1.1x
Brookhaven, MS 11,855 85 1.0x
Petal, MS 11,342 91 1.1x
Bogalusa, LA 10,921 82 1.0x
Georgetown, SC 8,435 91 1.1x
West Hattiesburg, MS 6,447 90 1.1x

Articles About Mississippi

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