CostIndexUSA

Dayton, OH vs Kansas City, MO Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostOH
Dayton
92.7
overall index
$1,300/mo rent
MO
Kansas City
92.5
overall index
$1,450/mo rent

Dayton and Kansas City have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+19.1%
Dayton
72.7
Kansas City
86.6
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Dayton
93.6
Kansas City
94.1
🚗 Transportation5.7%
Dayton
103.9
Kansas City
98
🏥 Healthcare5.6%
Dayton
94
Kansas City
88.7
Utilities6.7%
Dayton
95.4
Kansas City
89

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Dayton to see what you'd need to earn in Kansas City to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Kansas City, MO
$79,800
$200 less needed in Kansas City

Formula: salary × (92.5 ÷ 92.7) = salary × 0.9978. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Dayton, OH

Median Home Price
$360,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,300
Housing Index
72.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
23.1×

Kansas City, MO

Median Home Price
$312,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,450
Housing Index
86.6
Price-to-Rent Ratio
17.9×

Kansas City has 19.1% higher housing costs compared to Dayton.

Income & Job Market

Dayton, OH

Median Household Income
$67,100
Per Capita Income
$38,200
Unemployment Rate
4.5%
Population
137,630
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareMilitaryEducationGovernment

Kansas City, MO

Median Household Income
$79,800
Per Capita Income
$45,500
Unemployment Rate
2.9%
Population
508,394
Top Industries
FinanceHealthcareManufacturingLogisticsGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Dayton, OH
4.3×income-to-rent ratio

77% of income left after rent (median)

Kansas City, MO
4.6×income-to-rent ratio

78% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.