Bend vs Dayton
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Bend
Dayton
The Verdict
Dayton is 65.0% less expensive than Bend overall. A household earning $75,000 in Bend would need approximately $45,455 in Dayton to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Bend has the same purchasing power as $45,455 in Dayton.
Conversely, $75,000 in Dayton equals $123,750 in Bend.
Living in Bend vs Dayton
Housing Costs
Bend's housing index of 182 is higher Dayton's 46, translating to median home prices of $580,000 vs $135,000. The $445,000 difference in home prices means roughly $28,920 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,900/mo in Bend compared to $900/mo in Dayton, a monthly difference of $1,000.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 106 in Bend and 98 in Dayton. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $504/month in Bend vs $466/month in Dayton. Dayton offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $456/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 92 in Bend and 109 in Dayton. Monthly utility bills average approximately $368 in Bend vs $436 in Dayton. Climate differences between the two cities drive much of this gap, with heating and cooling costs varying substantially by region.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 106 in Bend and 114 in Dayton. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $68,234 in Bend and $43,500 in Dayton. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $51,692 and $54,375 respectively. Dayton residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,592/month to housing in Bend vs $1,015/month in Dayton. In Bend, median rent of $1,900/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Dayton, median rent of $900/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 136 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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