Should you visit Asheville or Dayton?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the prices of travel for Asheville and Dayton. We’ll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget. So, let's dig into it.
Asheville
Asheville is a beautiful mountain town between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Great Smoky Mountains. It's a popular tourist destination in western North Carolina that attracts hikers, shoppers, and adventurers alike. It's the largest city in the area and is famous for it's liberal mindset and large art community. Local crafts are frequently available for sale in the downtown shops.
Dayton
Located in southwest Ohio, Dayton is known as the "Gem City." It's the original home of Orville and Wilbur Wright, the brothers who designed the first airplane. You'll also find the Dayton Aviation Heritage Park here, which is one of the only multi-site National Parks in the United States. The cities climate has four different seasons, winter, spring, summer and fall. The winter months are quite cold and you can expect a decent amount of snow in the area. Spring remains cool and there are infrequent showers. This is also the peak time for tornadoes in the area. Summer is hot and humid and can be unpleasant at times, but fall is crisp and refreshing with occasional storms and infrequent tornadoes.
Which city is cheaper, Dayton or Asheville?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Asheville is $106, while the average daily cost in Dayton is $259. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Asheville and Dayton in more detail.
Accommodation
Accommodation prices vary by location and style, but travelers pay on average about $142 for a double occupancy room in Asheville.
A hotel room in Dayton is about $400 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
Food
In Asheville travelers spend around $26 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
The average traveler spends about $49 per day in Dayton for food, but obviously this is dependent on the type of restaurant and the amount of food ordered. To save money you can grab a lighter lunch or dinner, or you can try fast food or street food.
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Food
Meals for one day
Asheville $26
Dayton $49
Typical Food prices in Asheville
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for food and meal costs in Asheville:
Typical Food prices in Dayton
Some typical examples of dining costs in Dayton are as follows:
Local Transportation
The average price of local transportation around Asheville is $11 per person, per day. As this average includes both taxis and public transport, keep in mind that the prices of private drivers and taxis are significantly more expensive than public transportation.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $20 per day to get around in Dayton.
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Dayton
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Dayton:
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James M. Cox Dayton Airport (DAY) to Dayton - Arrival Private Transfer:
$133
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James M. Cox Dayton Airport (DAY) to Dayton - Departure Private Transfer:
$133
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James M. Cox Dayton Airport (DAY) to Dayton - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$266
Is it cheaper to fly into Asheville or Dayton?
Prices for flights to both Dayton and Asheville change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Asheville's costs for entertainment, tickets, attractions, and tours will often cost around $13 per person, per day. This cost can vary widely by the type of activity, however, as this includes admission tickets, day tours, museums, and other things to do.
Typical Entertainment prices in Asheville
Here are a few typical costs in Asheville for activities, ticket prices, and tours that come from previous visitors:
Tours and Activities in Asheville
Here are a few actual costs in Asheville for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
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Asheville tip-based sightseeing Walking Tour with Donut & Spirits/Beer Tastings:
$5.00
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Asheville Scavenger Hunt: Downtown Asheville Adventure:
$12
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Asheville Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$21
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Asheville Night-Time Walking Ghost Tour:
$21
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Asheville Night-Time Guided Walking Ghost Tour (1 or 1.5-Hour Options Available):
$21
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Asheville Literary Tour:
$30
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Asheville Insider Guided Walking Tour:
$30
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History and Architecture Tour:
$40
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Asheville Private Guided Bird Watching Tour:
$41
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Amazing Asheville Scavenger Hunt Adventure:
$44
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Wellness-Focused Walking Tour:
$45
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North Carolina Arboretum Running Tour in Asheville:
$45
Alcohol
While the amount that someone spends on alcohol while visiting Asheville may vary from person to person, on average a person spends $13 per day on alcoholic beverages.
Sample the Local Flavors in Asheville
Also in Asheville, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Downtown Asheville Guided Brewery Walking Tour:
$38
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Private Adventure Brews Cruise Brewery Tours in Asheville (Up To 5 Breweries):
$1,013
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Asheville and Dayton, we can see that Dayton is more expensive. And not only is Asheville much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Asheville would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Asheville and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Dayton would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Dayton than you might in Asheville.
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