Should you visit Dayton or Philadelphia?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Dayton or Philadelphia, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
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.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia is the fourth largest urban area, and the fifth largest city in the United States. It's located in southeastern Pennsylvania and has a rich history, having once been the capital of the United States. The city has very impressive architecture, museums, universities, and entertainment venues. It's a cultural and artistic center for the country and it continues to climb as a top travel destination.
Which city is cheaper, Philadelphia or Dayton?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Dayton is $259, while the average daily cost in Philadelphia is $151. 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 Dayton and Philadelphia in more detail.
Accommodation
A hotel room in Dayton is about $400 This assumes double occupancy and modest accommodations.
The prices for places to stay in Philadelphia can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $95, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $190.
Food
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.
Philadelphia food costs typically run travelers around $39 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Dayton $49
Philadelphia $39
Typical Food prices in Dayton
Some typical examples of dining costs in Dayton are as follows:
Typical Food prices in Philadelphia
For Philadelphia, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Philadelphia
For Philadelphia, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Flavors of Philly Food Tour:
$44
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Decadent Gourmet Food Tour:
$44
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Flavors of Philly Food Tour:
$52
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Highlights of East Passyunk Food Tour:
$54
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South Philly Italian Family Dinner Tour:
$75
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Historic Food Tour:
$78
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Private Tour: Secret Food Tours Philadelphia:
$90
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Spirit of Philadelphia Dinner Cruise with Buffet:
$107
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Secret Food Tours Philadelphia w/ Private Tour Option:
$193
Local 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.
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Philadelphia than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $22 on transportation in Philadelphia on average per day.
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 - Round-Trip Private Transfer:
$266
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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 - Arrival Private Transfer:
$133
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Philadelphia
Also for Philadelphia, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Private Departure Transfer to Philadelphia Airport (PHL):
$38
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Private Arrival Transfer from Philadelphia Airport (PHL):
$38
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Private Airport Transfer: Philadelphia Int. Airport (PHL) to Philadelphia:
$44
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Private Airport Transfer: Philadelphia to Philadelphia Int. Airport (PHL):
$44
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Shared Departure Transfer: Hotel to Philadelphia Airport:
$51
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Shared Arrival Transfer: Philadelphia Airport to Hotel:
$51
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Philadelphia Airport (PHL) to Philadelphia - Arrival Private Transfer:
$60
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Philadelphia to Philadelphia Airport (PHL) - Departure Private Transfer:
$60
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Departure Private Transfer Philadelphia to Philadelphia Airport PHL by Sedan:
$68
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Departure Private Transfer Philadelphia to Philadelphia Train Station by Sedan:
$68
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Arrival Private Transfer Philadelphia Airport PHL to Philadelphia by Sedan:
$68
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Arrival Private Transfer Philadelphia Train Station to Philadelphia by Sedan:
$68
Is it cheaper to fly into Dayton or Philadelphia?
Prices for flights to both Philadelphia and Dayton 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
Sightseeing expenses in Philadelphia, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $22 per day, per person.
Typical Entertainment prices in Philadelphia
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Philadelphia's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Philadelphia
For Philadelphia, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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Art and Controversy: An audio tour of Philadelphia's most infamous art scandals:
$5.00
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Philadelphia's Lost Waterfront: Explore the historic city on an audio tour:
$5.00
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Ultimate Philadelphia Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$6.00
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Philadelphia Architecture: Discover Every American Style on a GPS Audio Tour:
$6.99
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Philadelphia Self-Guided Audio Tour:
$14
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Penn Museum Admission Ticket:
$18
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Grim, Dark, and Twisted History Tour:
$19
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Franklin Footsteps Historic Walking Tour:
$19
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Philadelphia Walking Ghost Tour:
$20
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Franklin's Footsteps Walking Tour:
$20
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Skip the Line: Museum of the American Revolution Admission Ticket:
$21
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Philadelphia Historical Independence Walking Tour:
$21
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Philadelphia spend on average $17 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
Sample the Local Flavors in Philadelphia
Also in Philadelphia, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Haunted Pub Crawl:
$45
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Philadelphia Prohibition Pub Crawl:
$45
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Haunted Pub Crawl:
$45
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2-Hour Philly on Tap Pub Tour:
$65
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Sip of Philly Brewery Tour:
$79
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2-Hour Old City Wine Tasting Tour:
$96
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Dayton and Philadelphia, we can see that Dayton is more expensive. And not only is Philadelphia much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Philadelphia would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Philadelphia 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 Philadelphia.
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