Daytona Beach vs Fort Collins
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Daytona Beach
Fort Collins
The Verdict
Daytona Beach is 18.1% less expensive than Fort Collins overall. A household earning $75,000 in Daytona Beach would need approximately $91,579 in Fort Collins 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 Daytona Beach has the same purchasing power as $91,579 in Fort Collins.
Conversely, $75,000 in Fort Collins equals $61,422 in Daytona Beach.
Living in Daytona Beach vs Fort Collins
Housing Costs
Daytona Beach's housing index of 93 is lower Fort Collins's 142, translating to median home prices of $288,000 vs $531,000. The $243,000 difference in home prices means roughly $15,792 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,350/mo in Daytona Beach compared to $1,625/mo in Fort Collins, a monthly difference of $275.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 104 in Daytona Beach and 100 in Fort Collins. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $494/month in Daytona Beach vs $475/month in Fort Collins. The difference in grocery costs between these cities is relatively minor and unlikely to be a deciding factor in relocation.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 101 in Daytona Beach and 87 in Fort Collins. Monthly utility bills average approximately $404 in Daytona Beach vs $348 in Fort Collins. 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 99 in Daytona Beach and 97 in Fort Collins. 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 $52,100 in Daytona Beach and $74,800 in Fort Collins. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $54,842 and $64,483 respectively. Fort Collins residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,216/month to housing in Daytona Beach vs $1,745/month in Fort Collins. In Daytona Beach, median rent of $1,350/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Fort Collins, median rent of $1,625/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 49 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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