Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Dayton, OH

For one person, living is cheaper in Dayton, OH: $2,214 a month against $3,139 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
Learn more

Chicago, IL Living Index
107

Cost of Living Index in Dayton, OH
Learn more

Dayton, OH Living Index

Jump to prices

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Dayton, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,214

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL and in Dayton, OH

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Chicago, IL and in Dayton, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,139 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,214 in Dayton, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,139
Dayton, OH $2,214

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,280 in Dayton, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,627
Dayton, OH $3,280

A family of three spends $6,115 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,345 in Dayton, OH, rent included.

Chicago, IL $6,115
Dayton, OH $4,345

Chicago, IL costs about 42% more than Dayton, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Chicago, IL and Dayton, OH sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 132%, Dayton, OH by 63%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.65 $20.65

$14.47 $14.47

42.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.2 $90.2

$71.1 $71.1

26.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.94 $12.94

$9.90 $9.90

30.71%

Cappuccino

$5.60 $5.60

$4.25 $4.25

31.76%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.24 $2.24

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$1.86 $1.86

22.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.98 $6.98

$4.62 $4.62

51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.83 $8.83

$5.93 $5.93

48.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$0.79 $0.79

60.76%

White Bread (500g)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.72 $2.72

39.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.77 $3.77

40.58%

Eggs

$4.76 $4.76

$3.61 $3.61

31.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.96 $13.96

$13.32 $13.32

4.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.61 $14.61

$24.28 $24.28

-39.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.77 $18.77

$17.25 $17.25

8.81%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$5.87 $5.87

-11.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.94 $1.94

2.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$7.23 $7.23

-45.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.96 $4.96

$5.23 $5.23

-5.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.70 $2.70

2.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$3.16 $3.16

-12.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.21 $2.21

0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.78 $2.78

7.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.02 $14.02

$9.68 $9.68

44.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 $15.28

$19.70 $19.70

-22.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.76 $1.76

46.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 $3.50

$3.56 $3.56

-1.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$4.02 $4.02

-38.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$49.33 $49.33

51.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.34 $3.34

$5.07 $5.07

-34.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.81 $1.81

-20.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.32 $24.32

$50.9 $50.9

-52.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.03 $1.03

22.33%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

27.17%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.8K $26.8K

-2.63%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$193 $193

$205 $205

-5.83%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$68.3 $68.3

$50.2 $50.2

36.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.3 $61.3

$59.1 $59.1

3.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.1 $54.1

$32.95 $32.95

64.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.92 $27.92

$45.30 $45.30

-38.37%

Cinema Ticket

$17.74 $17.74

$14.14 $14.14

25.46%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,652 $1,652

$529 $529

212.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$6,520 $6,520

376.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.1 $66.1

$39.13 $39.13

68.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$47.07 $47.07

8.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 $100

$70.4 $70.4

42.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$122 $122

15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,446 $2,446

$1,194 $1,194

104.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$901 $901

86.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,717 $4,717

$1,597 $1,597

195.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,795 $2,795

$1,398 $1,398

99.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,650 $2,650

$1,451 $1,451

82.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,866 $4,866

$3,416 $3,416

42.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.74

1.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Last update for Dayton, OH: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5%

Dayton, OH

$901 40.7% 46.3% $777

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3%

Dayton, OH

$486 21.9% 8.1% $36

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9%

Dayton, OH

$248 11.2% 27.8% $96

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3%

Dayton, OH

$314 14.2% 2.6% $8.4

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1%

Dayton, OH

$126 5.7% 22.2% $36

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$95 3%

Dayton, OH

$80 3.6% 16.4% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9%

Dayton, OH

$61 2.8% 31.7% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,446 in Chicago, IL versus $1,194 in Dayton, OH. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 42% higher in Chicago, IL, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL versus $71.0 in Dayton, OH. Groceries tell a different story – $449 in Chicago, IL vs $486 in Dayton, OH – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Dayton, OH

🕒 Local time

03:10 3:10 AM

04:10 4:10 AM

1 h ahead of Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

156,771

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Chicago, IL Dayton, OH 370 km

From you

Chicago, IL
Dayton, OH

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Chicago, IL vs Dayton, OH: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,139 in Chicago, IL, $2,214 in Dayton, OH – roughly 42% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,708 per month in Chicago, IL and $3,322 in Dayton, OH. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Dayton, OH, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Chicago, IL – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $90.0 in Chicago, IL and $71.0 in Dayton, OH. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Dayton, OH, where all-in costs run around $2,214, than in Chicago, IL at $3,139. In Dayton, OH it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,214 in Dayton, OH to $3,139 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Dayton, OH. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.