City profile
Cincinnati, OH cost of living
OH · BLS RPP 93.5
Overall RPP
93.5
US = 100
Housing RPP
83.7
Housing component
Goods RPP
92.4
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,195/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Cincinnati, OH sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#55 of 67
-6.5 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
-4.9
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#58 of 67
-411/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Cincinnati, OH
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Cincinnati, OH metro.
Moved in
103,293
people · 60,790 households
Moved out
103,397
people · 61,362 households
Net
−104
net loss of residents
Net migration rank
#33 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
+0
median -104 people
Largest flow share
4% in / 4% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Montgomery County, OH 3,869
- Franklin County, OH 1,635
- Greene County, OH 720
- Cook County, IL 707
- Jefferson County, KY 682
Where residents moved to
- Montgomery County, OH 3,840
- Franklin County, OH 1,777
- Clinton County, OH 753
- Greene County, OH 683
- Cook County, IL 658
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Cincinnati, OH?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Cincinnati, OH | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $46,750 | $50,000 x (93.5/100) |
| $75,000 | $70,125 | $75,000 x (93.5/100) |
| $100,000 | $93,500 | $100,000 x (93.5/100) |
| $125,000 | $116,875 | $125,000 x (93.5/100) |
| $150,000 | $140,250 | $150,000 x (93.5/100) |
| $200,000 | $187,000 | $200,000 x (93.5/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
Ohio income tax 0%-3.75%. Cincinnati city income tax 1.8%.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Cincinnati, OH?
- Cincinnati, OH has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 93.5 (US average = 100). It is 6.5% less expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Cincinnati, OH?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $93,500 in Cincinnati, OH to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Cincinnati, OH?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Cincinnati, OH is approximately $1,195 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Cincinnati, OH?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 103,293 people moved into the Cincinnati, OH metro and 103,397 moved out — a net loss of roughly 104 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Montgomery County, OH.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Cincinnati, OH, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Cincinnati, OH
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