Chicago vs Dayton
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Chicago
Dayton
💡 The Verdict
Dayton is 19% cheaper than Chicago overall. A $75,000 salary in Chicago is equivalent to $60,981 in Dayton.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Chicago (left) vs Dayton (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Chicago versus Dayton. Differences shown from Chicago perspective.
| Item | Chicago | Dayton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $1,230/mo | $1,070/mo | +$160.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,700/mo | $1,540/mo | +$160.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $2,220/mo | $2,170/mo | +$50.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.71 | $2.26 | +$0.45 |
| Milk (gallon) | $4.17 | $3.17 | +$1.00 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $3.55 | $2.76 | +$0.79 |
| Coffee (latte) | $6.11 | $4.79 | +$1.32 |
| Gas (gallon) | $3.57 | $3.08 | +$0.49 |
| Restaurant Meal | $15.53 | $14.76 | +$0.77 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Chicago has the same purchasing power as $60,981 in Dayton.
Conversely, $75,000 in Dayton equals $92,241 in Chicago.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $1050 difference is driven by Illinois having a higher state income tax rate. Illinois details → · Ohio details →
Reading These Numbers: Chicago (107) vs Dayton (87)
Chicago at 107 is 7% above the US average, while Dayton at 87 is 13% below average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.
In Chicago, the composite index of 107 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 112, followed by groceries (104), utilities (100), transportation (116), and healthcare (101). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,700/mo in Chicago and $1,540/mo in Dayton, the annual rent difference is approximately $1,920.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $9,600.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $27,000.0 difference in median home prices between Chicago and Dayton translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Chicago vs Dayton
Choosing between Chicago and Dayton involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Chicago and Dayton reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.