Cost of Living Comparison Between Dayton, OH and Wellington Cost of Living Comparison Between Dayton, OH and Wellington

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,189 in Dayton, OH versus $2,306 in Wellington.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,200 in Dayton, OH versus $3,563 in Wellington.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,212 in Dayton, OH versus $4,819 in Wellington.

Living in Dayton, OH costs roughly 5% less than in Wellington, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dayton, OH 63% above, Wellington 72% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.33 $16.33

$17.55 NZ$29.65

-6.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.0 $59.0

$83.0 NZ$140

-28.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.88 $9.88

$9.70 NZ$16.40

1.86%

Cappuccino

$4.25 $4.25

$3.67 NZ$6.20

15.80%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$2.56 NZ$4.32

-6.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.13 NZ$3.60

-19.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 $4.18

$7.10 NZ$11.99

-41.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.92 $5.92

$7.07 NZ$11.96

-16.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.75 $0.75

$1.84 NZ$3.11

-59.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.12 NZ$3.58

17.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.60 $3.60

$1.89 NZ$3.20

90.48%

Eggs

$3.51 $3.51

$7.25 NZ$12.25

-51.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.52 $11.52

$8.25 NZ$13.95

39.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.85 $18.85

$10.98 NZ$18.56

71.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.30 $15.30

$13.22 NZ$22.34

15.73%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$3.12 NZ$5.28

52.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 $1.55

$2.35 NZ$3.96

-34.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$3.09 NZ$5.23

85.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.89 NZ$8.27

6.75%

Potato (1kg)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.09 NZ$3.54

41.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.59 NZ$2.69

91.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.25 NZ$3.80

-6.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.31 NZ$2.21

102.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.37 $9.37

$26.84 NZ$45.35

-65.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.02 $12.02

$10.51 NZ$17.77

14.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$3.54 NZ$5.99

-51.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.27 NZ$5.53

15.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.65 NZ$4.48

60.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.0 $61.0

$109 NZ$184

-44.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.66 NZ$4.49

83.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.83 NZ$3.10

-21.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.69 $49.69

$61.4 NZ$104

-19.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.64 NZ$2.78

-46.34%

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

$29.7K $29.7K

$33.3K NZ$56.3K

-10.97%

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

$25.5K $25.5K

$25.5K NZ$43.1K

0.01%

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

$205 $205

$158 NZ$267

29.68%

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

$45.62 $45.62

$32.92 NZ$55.6

38.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.8 $63.8

$51.1 NZ$86.4

24.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.53 $33.53

$35.78 NZ$60.5

-6.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$45.19 $45.19

$20.29 NZ$34.29

122.72%

Cinema Ticket

$13.14 $13.14

$12.29 NZ$20.78

6.92%

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

$556 $556

$792 NZ$1,338

-29.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,909 $4,909

$12.5K NZ$21.1K

-60.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.61 $45.61

$71.5 NZ$121

-36.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.8 $52.8

$52.4 NZ$88.5

0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 $74.3

$118 NZ$200

-37.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 $105

$144 NZ$243

-27.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,200 $1,200

$1,318 NZ$2,227

-8.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$912 $912

$1,095 NZ$1,850

-16.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,681 $1,681

$2,159 NZ$3,649

-22.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,396 $1,396

$1,898 NZ$3,207

-26.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,861 NZ$11.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,436 $1,436

$3,929 NZ$6,640

-63.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,328 $3,328

$3,103 NZ$5,244

7.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.94

-5.76%

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

Last update for Dayton, OH: April 20, 2026

Last update for Wellington: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,200 in Dayton, OH and $1,318 in Wellington. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dayton, OH pays 7% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59 in Dayton, OH vs $83 in Wellington. Groceries flip the comparison at $413 vs $341, with Wellington cheaper for home cooking.

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 Wellington: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dayton, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Wellington. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dayton, OH the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Dayton, OH pays 7% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,200 in Dayton, OH versus $1,318 in Wellington. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,189 per month in Dayton, OH versus $2,306 in Wellington – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dayton, OH runs roughly 79% less than in Wellington. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,189 in Dayton, OH versus $2,306 in Wellington, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dayton, OH but tight or insufficient in Wellington. 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 $2,189 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dayton, OH hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Dayton, OH and Wellington are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dayton, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Wellington. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.