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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Wellington is roughly 5% more expensive than Dayton, OH, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.55 NZ$29.65

$16.33 $16.33

7.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.0 NZ$140

$59.0 $59.0

40.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.70 NZ$16.40

$9.88 $9.88

-1.82%

Cappuccino

$3.67 NZ$6.20

$4.25 $4.25

-13.65%

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

$2.56 NZ$4.32

$2.39 $2.39

7.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$1.71 $1.71

24.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.10 NZ$11.99

$4.18 $4.18

69.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.07 NZ$11.96

$5.92 $5.92

19.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 NZ$3.11

$0.75 $0.75

145.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.12 NZ$3.58

$2.50 $2.50

-15.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.89 NZ$3.20

$3.60 $3.60

-47.50%

Eggs

$7.25 NZ$12.25

$3.51 $3.51

106.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.25 NZ$13.95

$11.52 $11.52

-28.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.98 NZ$18.56

$18.85 $18.85

-41.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.22 NZ$22.34

$15.30 $15.30

-13.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 NZ$5.28

$4.77 $4.77

-34.59%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 NZ$3.96

$1.55 $1.55

51.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.23

$5.73 $5.73

-46.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.89 NZ$8.27

$5.22 $5.22

-6.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.09 NZ$3.54

$2.96 $2.96

-29.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.59 NZ$2.69

$3.05 $3.05

-47.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 NZ$3.80

$2.11 $2.11

6.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 NZ$2.21

$2.65 $2.65

-50.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.84 NZ$45.35

$9.37 $9.37

186.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 NZ$17.77

$12.02 $12.02

-12.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.54 NZ$5.99

$1.70 $1.70

108.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.27 NZ$5.53

$3.79 $3.79

-13.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.65 NZ$4.48

$4.24 $4.24

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 NZ$184

$61.0 $61.0

78.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.49

$4.87 $4.87

-45.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.83 NZ$3.10

$1.44 $1.44

27.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$61.4 NZ$104

$49.69 $49.69

23.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.78

$0.88 $0.88

86.36%

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

$33.3K NZ$56.3K

$29.7K $29.7K

12.32%

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

$25.5K NZ$43.1K

$25.5K $25.5K

-0.01%

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

$158 NZ$267

$205 $205

-22.89%

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

$32.92 NZ$55.6

$45.62 $45.62

-27.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.1 NZ$86.4

$63.8 $63.8

-19.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.78 NZ$60.5

$33.53 $33.53

6.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.29 NZ$34.29

$45.19 $45.19

-55.10%

Cinema Ticket

$12.29 NZ$20.78

$13.14 $13.14

-6.47%

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

$792 NZ$1,338

$556 $556

42.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K NZ$21.1K

$4,909 $4,909

154.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 NZ$121

$45.61 $45.61

56.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.4 NZ$88.5

$52.8 $52.8

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 NZ$200

$74.3 $74.3

59.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 NZ$243

$105 $105

37.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,318 NZ$2,227

$1,200 $1,200

9.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,095 NZ$1,850

$912 $912

20.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,159 NZ$3,649

$1,681 $1,681

28.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,898 NZ$3,207

$1,396 $1,396

35.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,861 NZ$11.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,929 NZ$6,640

$1,436 $1,436

173.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,103 NZ$5,244

$3,328 $3,328

-6.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.94

6.54

6.12%

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

Last update for Wellington: April 22, 2026

Last update for Dayton, OH: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,318 in Wellington and $1,200 in Dayton, OH. 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: $83 in Wellington vs $59 in Dayton, OH. Groceries flip the comparison at $341 vs $413, 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

Wellington vs Dayton, OH: 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.

On paper, Dayton, OH earns 7% less. 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: $1,318 in Wellington versus $1,200 in Dayton, OH. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,306 per month in Wellington versus $2,189 in Dayton, OH – 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, Wellington and Dayton, OH 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.