Question 1

Is Columbus or Des Moines cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Columbus, OH is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $11/month less than in Des Moines, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,430/mo in Columbus versus $1,318/mo in Des Moines.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Columbus vs Des Moines?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $68,500/year before tax in Columbus, OH and $67,500/year in Des Moines, IA — a difference of about $1,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Columbus or Des Moines cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Columbus, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $6,777/month in Columbus and $6,993/month in Des Moines, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Columbus or Des Moines?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Columbus costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Columbus80	Des Moines69
Est. monthly cost (single)	$3,727	$3,738
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$6,777	$6,993
Salary for comfort	$68,500/yr	$67,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,430	$1,318
Median home value	$234,500	$183,700
Median household income	$65,327	$63,966
Unemployment	2.8%	3.3%
Housing score	71	86
Jobs score	82	84
Safety score	81	30
Climate score	88	81
Amenities score	56	38
Population	906.5K	212.5K
Summer high / winter low	86° / 19°	86° / 14°

Columbus, OH vs Des Moines, IA