Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

107

Cost of Living Index in Dayton, OH
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Dayton, OH Living Index
152

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index

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Dayton, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,214

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,139

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dayton, OH is about 29% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.47 $14.47

$20.65 $20.65

-29.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 $71.1

$90.2 $90.2

-21.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$12.94 $12.94

-23.49%

Cappuccino

$4.25 $4.25

$5.60 $5.60

-24.11%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$2.64 $2.64

-15.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.27 $2.27

-18.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.62 $4.62

$6.98 $6.98

-33.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$8.83 $8.83

-32.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.27 $1.27

-37.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.80 $3.80

-28.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$5.30 $5.30

-28.87%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$4.76 $4.76

-24.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$13.96 $13.96

-4.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.28 $24.28

$14.61 $14.61

66.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.25 $17.25

$18.77 $18.77

-8.10%

Apples (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$5.19 $5.19

13.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.98 $1.98

-2.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.23 $7.23

$3.93 $3.93

83.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$4.96 $4.96

5.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$2.76 $2.76

-2.17%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.76 $2.76

14.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.22 $2.22

-0.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.98 $2.98

-6.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.68 $9.68

$14.02 $14.02

-30.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.70 $19.70

$15.28 $15.28

28.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.58 $2.58

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 $3.56

$3.50 $3.50

1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.47 $2.47

62.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.33 $49.33

$74.8 $74.8

-34.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$3.34 $3.34

51.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.43 $1.43

26.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.9 $50.9

$24.32 $24.32

109.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.26 $1.26

-18.25%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.36%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.1K $26.1K

2.70%

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

$205 $205

$193 $193

6.19%

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

$50.2 $50.2

$68.3 $68.3

-26.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 $59.1

$61.3 $61.3

-3.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.95 $32.95

$54.1 $54.1

-39.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.30 $45.30

$27.92 $27.92

62.25%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$17.74 $17.74

-20.29%

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

$529 $529

$1,652 $1,652

-67.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,520 $6,520

$31.1K $31.1K

-79.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.13 $39.13

$66.1 $66.1

-40.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.07 $47.07

$51.2 $51.2

-8.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 $70.4

$100 $100

-29.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$141 $141

-13.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 $1,194

$2,446 $2,446

-51.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 $901

$1,678 $1,678

-46.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$4,717 $4,717

-66.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 $1,398

$2,795 $2,795

-49.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,105 $4,105

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 $1,451

$2,650 $2,650

-45.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,416 $3,416

$4,866 $4,866

-29.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

6.81

-1.03%

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

Last update for Dayton, OH: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dayton, OH

$901 40.7%

Chicago, IL

$1.7K 53.5% 86.3% $777

Groceries & Markets

Dayton, OH

$486 21.9%

Chicago, IL

$449 14.3% 7.5% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dayton, OH

$314 14.2%

Chicago, IL

$322 10.3% 2.7% $8.4

Eating Out

Dayton, OH

$248 11.2%

Chicago, IL

$343 10.9% 38.6% $96

Clothing & Footwear

Dayton, OH

$126 5.7%

Chicago, IL

$161 5.1% 28.5% $36

Getting Around

Dayton, OH

$80 3.6%

Chicago, IL

$95 3% 19.6% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Dayton, OH

$61 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$90 2.9% 46.3% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,194 in Dayton, OH versus $2,446 in Chicago, IL. 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 $71.0 in Dayton, OH versus $90.0 in Chicago, IL. Groceries tell a different story – $486 in Dayton, OH vs $449 in Chicago, IL – so Chicago, IL wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dayton, OH

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

03:37 3:37 AM

02:37 2:37 AM

1 h behind Dayton, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

156,771

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Dayton, OH Chicago, IL 370 km

From you

Dayton, OH
Chicago, IL

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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

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

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,322 per month in Dayton, OH and $4,708 in Chicago, IL. 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 $71.0 in Dayton, OH and $90.0 in Chicago, IL. 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.