Daytona Beach vs Long Beach
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Daytona Beach
Long Beach
The Verdict
Daytona Beach is 38.7% less expensive than Long Beach overall. A household earning $75,000 in Daytona Beach would need approximately $122,368 in Long Beach 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 $122,368 in Long Beach.
Conversely, $75,000 in Long Beach equals $45,968 in Daytona Beach.
Living in Daytona Beach vs Long Beach
Housing Costs
Daytona Beach's housing index of 93 is lower Long Beach's 236, translating to median home prices of $288,000 vs $700,000. The $412,000 difference in home prices means roughly $26,784 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,350/mo in Daytona Beach compared to $2,200/mo in Long Beach, a monthly difference of $850.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 104 in Daytona Beach and 106 in Long Beach. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $494/month in Daytona Beach vs $504/month in Long Beach. 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 114 in Long Beach. Monthly utility bills average approximately $404 in Daytona Beach vs $456 in Long Beach. 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 103 in Long Beach. 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 $60,567 in Long Beach. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $54,842 and $39,075 respectively. Daytona Beach residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite lower nominal wages.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,216/month to housing in Daytona Beach vs $1,413/month in Long Beach. In Daytona Beach, median rent of $1,350/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Long Beach, median rent of $2,200/mo pushes past the recommended limit. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 143 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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