Why is the cost of living so low in Cincinnati? (Columbus: college, move to)

[SWOH]

Originally Posted by ohioaninsc

From what I can tell Columbus has a very slightly higher cost of living than Cincinnati...Gas seems about 10-15 cents higher here...Rent for comparable apartments seems about $50/month higher...but AEP Electric rates are lower than Duke's it seems. Groceries are slightly cheaper here because Kroger actually has competition from Giant Eagle...Kroger has no competition in Cincy.

Meijer has a good grocery section and a number of outlets around Cincy. Biggs (now Rempke) has groceries too. But Kroger is the big player.

For some of the north suburbs and in Dayton in particular more people shop Meijer than Kroger or Walmart, and they are my go-to store.

[SoFresh99]

It's mostly housing that is cheaper and responsible for the major COL difference as seen on those internet calculators. Fresh organic food is much much cheaper but processed food is almost double what I paid in Boston due to the complete absence of grocery chain competition. Restaurants are easily 50% more expensive here and I am not sure why ($15 for vietnamese food-really?!) Labor is much more expensive and is reflected in the cost of home maintenanceand upgrade due to the lack of undocumented immigrants that provide cheap labor in east/west coast urban centers.

And keep in mind, housing is cheaper by average but the most desireable schools/areas you'd mainly choose to live in are comparable to the $250-300k of many cities.

[mike1003]

Are we talking Cincinnati or Greater Cinnati? If GC,shhhhhhhh, dont spoil it

[13th Alphabet]

I usually think of housing primarily when referring to COL, so the short answer would be "supply and demand." When you look at the available housing and population trends, there is your answer in a nutshell.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Wahl_Wrighter

I usually think of housing primarily when referring to COL, so the short answer would be "supply and demand." When you look at the available housing and population trends, there is your answer in a nutshell.

I am not quite sure what point you are making. If you are saying there is more housing available than the demand, I don't quite agree with that. New housing starts have been down for some time now. Existing housing in some areas of Cincinnati just fly off the market. I frequently read complaints from potential buyers that some areas they are interested in the homes are sold before they can get there to look at them. I know one person who relocated here who got to the point of following a real estate agent around to see where they were placing For Sale signs. Actually ended up buying a house that way.

Where people desire to live I don't think there is any problem with demand. As for population, hopefully the City of Cincinnati itself is stabilizing. Greater Cincinnati has been steadily increasing in population which is reflected by the demand in certain housing sectors. So if your point was plenty of available housing and a shrinking population I think you are a bit off base.

[Wilson513]

Actually, the mean housing cost in Cincinnati is about 20% higher than in Columbus. The OP's source is garbage. City Data has the best data available and one should check it first before going off half cocked.

Cincinnati mean housing cost, all units = $183,101

Columbus mean housing cost, all units = $147, 632

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by Wilson513

Actually, the mean housing cost in Cincinnati is about 20% higher than in Columbus. The OP's source is garbage. City Data has the best data available and one should check it first before going off half cocked.

Cincinnati mean housing cost, all units = $183,101

Columbus mean housing cost, all units = $147, 632

Most of us did not see the OP's original post content as Yac pulled the link since it was across sites. So I don't know if it was specifically directed at Columbus or Cost Of Living.

But in addition to housing, I find some of the other statements made here to be rediculous. Such as Cincinnati restaurants are horribly expensive. Compared to where? How about Chicago, NYC, or Boston if you want expensive.

Sure we have restaurants which can get expensive. My daugher and her escort recently went to the Precinct. She knew they were going to blow a bundle but she considered it a special occasion - her 50th birthday. Besides, she had a Precinct gift certificate she had never used to contribute. They skipped the appetizer and started off with Imported Dover Sole Meuniere. Sole meunière is a classic French dish consisting of sole, whole or fillet, that is dredged in milk and flour, fried in butter and served with the resulting brown butter sauce and lemon. They then switched to the beef Filet Mignon cooked to individual order. Then they toned down with a lobster tail for each. Along with all of this they consumed a bottle of wine. Needless to say, this was not cheap. But I venture to say if you are also comparing quality the same food in just about any quality restaurant in the country would certainly not be less in cost.

I ate at my first Ruth's Chris in St Louis and thought I would have to mortgage the house to get out of the place.

The other statement is the cost in grocery stores is excessive, because they have no competition. I find there is plenty of competition where I live. Meijer definitely gives Kroger a run for their money. And Walmart has elevated the quality of their entire grocery offerings, from produce to meats. Kroger probably wishes they had no competition. The smaller stores like Whole Foods and Aldi's hang on. You even have to visit Dollar General once in awhile, but I don't advise buying fresh meat there unless you really look at the packaging date.

Cost of living in Cincinnati is just about anything you want to make it.

We have a few $2 million plus houses in Mason. I personally think those people are nuts. For $2 million I want to be in Indian Hill.

My neighborhood, due to age, is a $170,000 to $200,000 neighborhood. And again due to age you will probably have to invest $25,000 - $50,000 to upgrade the interior. The exteriors have been mainly updated with things such as roofs, driveways, etc. and they're OK.

But less than 10 houses south of me is a newer (12 year old) subdivision selling homes in the $275,000 to $450,000 range. The main difference is they have 1/3 acre lots and my neighborhood is 1/2 to 1 acre lots. Less than a 1/2 mile apart.

So do me COL is how you view it.

There are many properties all over the Cincinnati suburban neighborhoods which are great buys. They may be on the far side of 40 years old, but this has to be compared to the overall value. I have a relatively new High Efficiency HVAC system. I also have a relatively new quality roof. Add a decent concrete driveway and rear patio and you have a decent exterior.

So what is not so nice, the interior. I have rebuilt both 2nd floor bathrooms and they are OK. But the kitchen needs a redo. The cabinets and the floor need to be replaced.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by goyguy

There are all sorts of variables tied in with determining the "cost of living" somewhere. For instance, residential real estate is notably cheaper than it is in Chicago and cities in the Northeast or on the West Coast. BUT property taxes tend to be considerably higher.

Chicagoland property taxes are outrageous compared to anything in Cincinnati.

[maxmodder]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

What part of the city are you comparing and to whom?

I feel Lexington costs less and that is mainly due to the cost of property. I have a daughter who lives in Paris Ky outside of Lexington. They recently bought a house with a large plot of land and many accompanyments like a real nice above ground pool and deck. Couldn't touch an equivalent home in the Greater Cincinnati Area for the price. The daughter and son-in-law love it. They are both teachers in the Bourbon Co. District where Paris is located.

I was reading another post earlier about the area around Union KY. It was touting a County Club which has homes up to $3M range. If I could afford $3M it certainly would not be in Union KY. Indian Hill here I come. For $3M I could probably purchase a home on Camargo County Club, one of the oldest and most prestigious courses in the area. It is so prestigious they don't have an annual dues. At the enf ot the year they add up the bills, divide by the membership, and send you a bill. If you have to complain you are in the wrong place.

Who needs Indian Hill when ya got Herritage!?

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by maxmodder

Who needs Indian Hill when ya got Herritage!?

Heritage is very nice, but it is no Indian Hill either, just costs like some of Indian Hill.