Considering how many studies exist showing just how expensive D.C. is these days, it’s not surprising that Columbus, Ohio, can safely boast a cheaper cost of living — a reality that hasn’t escaped the city’s Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The always-helpful District, Measured blog — a blog from D.C.’s Office of the Chief Financial Officer — shows how the cost of living in D.C. stacks up against Columbus. And it found that, for millennials, they’d save money living in Columbus, but not as much as one would expect:
District, Measured notes that while Columbus millennials might have $5,000 more in disposable income annually, the savings might be negligible when considering that many younger D.C. residents have roommates to split expenses and don’t own cars. But if a D.C. resident makes less than the median income, he or she could save more by moving to Columbus.
The savings are more evident at a later age: Once these young Washingtonians start having kids and buying houses, the cost of living in D.C. becomes greater relative to the cost of living in Columbus.
“The median cost of a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in D.C. is $788,000. In Columbus it’s $222,000. Child care for two children in D.C. is 75 percent more expensive than in Columbus,” District, Measured writes. “D.C. millennials might not be considering a move to Columbus now, but in several years they might re-think the numbers.”