Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Dayton, OH and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Dayton, OH: $2,214 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 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
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Dayton, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,214

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Dayton, OH and in Seattle, WA

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 Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,214 in Dayton, OH versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Dayton, OH $2,214
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,280 in Dayton, OH versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Dayton, OH $3,280
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,345 in Dayton, OH versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Dayton, OH $4,345
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Dayton, OH costs roughly 41% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dayton, OH 63% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.47 $14.47

$24.52 $24.52

-40.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 $71.1

$98.2 $98.2

-27.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.90 $9.90

$14.79 $14.79

-33.06%

Cappuccino

$4.25 $4.25

$6.52 $6.52

-34.82%

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

$2.24 $2.24

$3.23 $3.23

-30.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$3.17 $3.17

-41.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.62 $4.62

$7.85 $7.85

-41.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 $5.93

$8.03 $8.03

-26.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$1.21 $1.21

-34.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 $2.72

$5.14 $5.14

-47.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$6.05 $6.05

-37.69%

Eggs

$3.61 $3.61

$4.88 $4.88

-26.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 $13.32

$19.18 $19.18

-30.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$24.28 $24.28

$18.91 $18.91

28.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.25 $17.25

$23.31 $23.31

-26.00%

Apples (1kg)

$5.87 $5.87

$5.99 $5.99

-2.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.93 $1.93

0.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.23 $7.23

$5.25 $5.25

37.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.23 $5.23

$6.57 $6.57

-20.40%

Potato (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.62 $3.62

-25.41%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.31 $3.31

-4.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.78 $2.78

-20.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.51 $2.51

10.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.68 $9.68

$12.18 $12.18

-20.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.70 $19.70

$14.83 $14.83

32.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$4.22 $4.22

-58.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 $3.56

$5.77 $5.77

-38.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.95 $2.95

36.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$49.33 $49.33

$106 $106

-53.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.65 $2.65

91.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.72 $1.72

5.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$50.9 $50.9

$29.72 $29.72

71.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.49 $1.49

-30.87%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.9K $35.9K

-23.31%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.02%

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

$205 $205

$302 $302

-32.21%

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

$50.2 $50.2

$70.1 $70.1

-28.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.1 $59.1

$85.3 $85.3

-30.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.95 $32.95

$77.8 $77.8

-57.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.30 $45.30

$34.58 $34.58

31.00%

Cinema Ticket

$14.14 $14.14

$17.84 $17.84

-20.74%

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

$529 $529

$2,973 $2,973

-82.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,520 $6,520

$31.3K $31.3K

-79.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.13 $39.13

$76.6 $76.6

-48.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.07 $47.07

$54.1 $54.1

-12.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 $70.4

$128 $128

-45.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$164 $164

-25.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,194 $1,194

$2,445 $2,445

-51.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$901 $901

$1,947 $1,947

-53.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,597 $1,597

$4,744 $4,744

-66.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,398 $1,398

$3,469 $3,469

-59.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,451 $1,451

$5,127 $5,127

-71.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,416 $3,416

$6,506 $6,506

-47.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

6.89

-2.18%

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

Last update for Dayton, OH: October 19, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Dayton, OH

$901 40.7%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 116% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Dayton, OH

$486 21.9%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 12.3% $60

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Dayton, OH

$314 14.2%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 45.7% $143

Eating Out

Dayton, OH

$248 11.2%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 61.2% $152

Clothing & Footwear

Dayton, OH

$126 5.7%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 51.6% $65

Getting Around

Dayton, OH

$80 3.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 62.5% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Dayton, OH

$61 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 85.4% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,194 in Dayton, OH and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 90% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Dayton, OH vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $486 vs $546 per month, with Dayton, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Dayton, OH

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

02:01 2:01 AM

23:01 11:01 PM

3 h behind Dayton, OH

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

156,771

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Dayton, OH Seattle, WA 3,150 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Dayton, OH
Seattle, WA

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

Dayton, OH vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dayton, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 71% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dayton, OH the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Seattle, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,194 in Dayton, OH versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,214 per month in Dayton, OH versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA – a 71% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dayton, OH runs roughly 115% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,214 in Dayton, OH versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dayton, OH but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Dayton, OH the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dayton, OH delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,214 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dayton, OH hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Dayton, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.