Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Dayton, OH: $2,217 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $18,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
106

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

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Dayton, OH

🇺🇸 United States

$2,217

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA 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 Seattle, WA and in Dayton, OH actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,217 in Dayton, OH.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Dayton, OH $2,217

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,254 in Dayton, OH.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Dayton, OH $3,254

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,290 in Dayton, OH.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Dayton, OH $4,290

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 71% more expensive than in Dayton, OH, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Dayton, OH 63% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$14.49 $14.49

74.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$69.1 $69.1

46.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.04 $10.04

47.01%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$4.07 $4.07

59.71%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.25 $2.25

42.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.92 $1.92

63.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$4.63 $4.63

72.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$6.16 $6.16

31.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$0.75 $0.75

56.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.77 $2.77

91.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.79 $3.79

68.87%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.60 $3.60

40.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.66 $13.66

36.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$24.36 $24.36

-23.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.19 $17.19

33.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.80 $5.80

4.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.86 $1.86

4.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$7.05 $7.05

-21.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.41 $5.41

20.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.70 $2.70

29.26%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.06 $3.06

7.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.29 $2.29

22.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.79 $2.79

-7.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.23 $10.23

22.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$19.64 $19.64

-24.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.77 $1.77

136.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.40 $3.40

70.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.33 $3.33

-8.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$61.0 $61.0

73.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$5.03 $5.03

-48.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.81 $1.81

-9.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$49.33 $49.33

-38.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.06 $1.06

33.02%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

32.15%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

-0.04%

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

$308 $308

$204 $204

50.45%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$50.1 $50.1

38.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$57.9 $57.9

48.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$32.76 $32.76

133.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$44.68 $44.68

-20.55%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$14.17 $14.17

27.17%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$529 $529

418.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$6,549 $6,549

367.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$40.34 $40.34

96.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$46.86 $46.86

15.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$71.2 $71.2

78.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$123 $123

29.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,291 $1,291

94.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$895 $895

116.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,808 $1,808

182.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,339 $1,339

164.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,215 $2,215

232.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$1,313 $1,313

280.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,407 $3,407

89.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.74

2.23%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Dayton, OH: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Dayton, OH

$895 40.4% 53.8% $1K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Dayton, OH

$486 21.9% 11.1% $61

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Dayton, OH

$312 14.1% 32.5% $150

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Dayton, OH

$247 11.1% 39.2% $159

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Dayton, OH

$127 5.7% 32.9% $62

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Dayton, OH

$88 4% 31.5% $41

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Dayton, OH

$61 2.8% 45.7% $51

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,291 in Dayton, OH. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 90% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $69 in Dayton, OH for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $486 per month, with Dayton, OH cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Dayton, OH

🕒 Local time

06:32 6:32 AM

09:32 9:32 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

156,771

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

Seattle, WA
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

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

Dayton, OH wins on cost – living expenses run 41% 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.

Average pay runs 90% higher in Seattle, WA, 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: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,291 in Dayton, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,217 in Dayton, OH – Dayton, OH is about 41% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Dayton, OH runs roughly 42% less than in Seattle, WA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Dayton, OH is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Dayton, OH gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.