Dayton, OH Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Dayton, OH Summary

Cost of living in Dayton research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Dayton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Ohio, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Dayton is 83, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Dayton is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Dayton ranks as the #15 cheapest in Ohio out of 289.

  • Dayton ranks as the #306 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Dayton is $133,364.

  • The median income in Dayton is $43,454.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
83
Dayton's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Dayton, OH?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Dayton has an overall cost of living index of 83, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Ohio, Dayton has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Ohio's index of 93.

The standard of living in Dayton ranks as #15 most affordable out of the 289 places we measured in Ohio. By definition, that implies Dayton ranks as the #274 most expensive place in the Buckeye State.

For more reading on life in Dayton, check out:

15 out of 289
In Ohio
306 out of 6,489
In America

Dayton Cost Of Living Vs. Ohio

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Dayton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Dayton is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Dayton is 102.

  • The Health index in Dayton is 106.

  • The Housing index in Dayton is 50.

  • The Transportation index in Dayton is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Dayton is 101.

Living Expense Dayton Ohio National Average
Overall 83 93 100
Services 101 101 100
Groceries 102 103 100
Health 106 97 100
Housing 50 74 100
Transportation 96 102 100
Utilities 101 100 100
For more reading on cost of living around Ohio, check out:
Dayton Cost of Living Vs. OH

Dayton, OH Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Ohio, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Dayton is $133,364.

  • The Median Rent in Dayton is $866.

  • The Median Income in Dayton is $43,454.

  • The Home Value To Income in Dayton is 3.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Dayton is 0.24x.

Statistic Dayton Ohio United States
Median Home Value $133,364 $240,287 $303,400
Median Rent $866 $988 $1,348
Median Income $43,454 $69,680 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.1x 3.4x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.17x 0.21x
$133,364
Median Home Value
$866
Median Rent
$43,454
Median Income

Dayton, OH Costs By Category

Detailed Dayton Services Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Dayton Ohio
Shampoo $1.3 $1.28
Movie $12.84 $12.13
Bowling $16.32 $18
Haircut $21.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $43.31 $45.56

Detailed Dayton Groceries Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Dayton Ohio
Ground Beef $6.04 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.69 $1.57
Milk $4.78 $4.67
Potatoes $5.19 $4.93
Pizza $13.11 $12.09
Beer $10.57 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.57 $3.7

Detailed Dayton Health Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Dayton Ohio
Optometrist $108.5 $125.68
Doctor $152.25 $135.78
Dentist $122.07 $113.29

Detailed Dayton Transportation Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Dayton Ohio
Gasoline $3.24 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.06 $59.92

Detailed Dayton Utilities Costs Vs. Ohio

Item Dayton Ohio
All Electricity $202.76 $193.99
Phone $186.57 $192.25

Dayton SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
4
Affordability
7
Diversity
9
Safety
3
Amenities
9
Education
6
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Dayton

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Dayton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Kettering, OH has a cost of living index of 95, 1.1x Dayton.

  • Beavercreek, OH has a cost of living index of 104, 1.3x Dayton.

  • Huber Heights, OH has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Dayton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Dayton
Kettering, OH 57,442 95 1.1x
Beavercreek, OH 46,787 104 1.3x
Huber Heights, OH 43,266 92 1.1x
Centerville, OH 24,815 101 1.2x
Riverside, OH 24,432 91 1.1x
Trotwood, OH 23,041 87 1.0x
Springboro, OH 19,577 110 1.3x
Vandalia, OH 15,100 94 1.1x
Clayton, OH 13,269 96 1.2x
West Carrollton, OH 13,008 92 1.1x

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