True, but Columbus is also a thriving midwestern city with tons of things to do. Obviously not as big as Houston, but just want OP to know it's not a suburban/rural place and comparing it to a city like Houston.
Ohio State is close to home so I'm familiar with Columbus, but that isn't a factor at all for me. I really am hoping to compare the programs and outcomes.
There's no way these 2 cost the same for you even if you're OOS for both. I'm fairly confident Houston is cheaper by OSU by quite a margin. How did you do your calculations?