Daytona Beach vs Johnson City
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Daytona Beach
Johnson City
The Verdict
Johnson City is 11.8% less expensive than Daytona Beach overall. A household earning $75,000 in Daytona Beach would need approximately $67,105 in Johnson City 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 $67,105 in Johnson City.
Conversely, $75,000 in Johnson City equals $83,824 in Daytona Beach.
Living in Daytona Beach vs Johnson City
Housing Costs
Daytona Beach's housing index of 93 is higher Johnson City's 66, translating to median home prices of $288,000 vs $276,000. The $12,000 difference in home prices means roughly $780 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,350/mo in Daytona Beach compared to $1,025/mo in Johnson City, a monthly difference of $325.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 104 in Daytona Beach and 95 in Johnson City. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $494/month in Daytona Beach vs $451/month in Johnson City. Johnson City offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $516/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 101 in Daytona Beach and 95 in Johnson City. Monthly utility bills average approximately $404 in Daytona Beach vs $380 in Johnson City. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 99 in Daytona Beach and 94 in Johnson City. 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 $55,400 in Johnson City. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $54,842 and $65,176 respectively. Johnson City 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 $1,293/month in Johnson City. In Daytona Beach, median rent of $1,350/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Johnson City, median rent of $1,025/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 27 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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