Which place is cheaper, Dayton or Mexico City?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
Jump to 
Should you visit Mexico City or Dayton?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Should I visit Mexico City or Dayton? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.
Where Should I go: Mexico City or Dayton?
Mexico City
Mexico City is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. There are an estimated 26 million people living in the greater Mexico City metropolitan area. The area is about 60 kilometers by 40 kilometers and is surrounded by tall mountains and volcanoes on three sides. Mexico City proper has about 8.8 million people and is the capital of the country. More than a third of the country's economy is based here, making it the wealthiest city in all of Latin America.
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.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 2-Week Tours in Mexico, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Mexico, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Los Angeles, and The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from New York City.
-
Mexico City Prices
Mexico PricesDayton Prices
USA Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayMexico City $224Dayton $368
The average daily cost (per person) in Mexico City is $224, while the average daily cost in Dayton is $368. 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 destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Mexico City and Dayton in more detail.
Accommodation
-
Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personMexico City $40Dayton $250
-
Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomMexico City $80Dayton $500
Compare Hotels in Mexico City and Dayton
Looking for a hotel in Mexico City or Dayton? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Mexico City Hotel Prices and Dayton Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
-
Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Mexico City $13Dayton $25
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Mexico City
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Mexico City:
-
Metro$1.14
-
Uber Ride$4.01
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Mexico City
Also for Mexico City, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Private Airport Transfer Service in Mexico City: $14
- MEX Airport Private Transfer to/from City Center: $15
- Transfer Mexico city Airport - Mexico city Downtown hotels: $18
- Private Transfer from Mexico City Airport (MEX): $21
- Private Transfer from Airport to Hotel in Mexico City: $27
- Mexico to Mexico City Airport (MEX) Departure Arrival Transfer: $30
- Mexico City International Airport (MEX) to Mexico City- Private Arrival Transfer: $30
- Try find your better than us ! Airport transfer service in Mexico APT-HTL (MEX): $36
- Mexico City Private Airport Transfer: $36
- Private Transfer From Mexico City Airport to Downtown: $40
- Private One Way Transfer from Mexico City to Mexico Airport: $41
- Roundtrip Private Transfer from Mexico City Airport (MEX): $43
Is it cheaper to fly into Mexico City or Dayton?
Prices for flights to both Dayton and Mexico City 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.
Food
-
Food Meals for one dayMexico City $45Dayton $105
Typical Food Prices in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
-
Lunch for Two$13
-
Coffee and Snacks$4.47
-
Dinner for 2$26
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Mexico City Walking Vegan Food Tour in Roma Norte: $5.89
- Mexico City Coyoacan Food Tour & Optional Frida Kahlo Museum: $20
- Private Street Food Tour Mexico City - Best rated: $35
- Cable Car, Cultural Spaces, and Traditional Food Tour: $40
- Virtual Mexican Cooking Class (private and personalized): $50
- Veracruz and Boca del Rio Food Tour with Mangroves Boat Trip: $50
- Coyoacan Market Food Tour Urban Eats & Local Legends: $54
- San Juan Market Food Tour Exotic Bites & Flavors: $54
- Tortilla Crawl: Food Tour in Mexico City: $55
- Mexico : Best Street Food Tour With A Local Guide: $58
- Local Markets & Food Tour in Mexico City: $63
- 3 Hours Food Tour Best Vegan Tacos in Mexico City: $65
Typical Food Prices in Dayton
Some typical examples of dining costs in Dayton are as follows:
-
Noodle Company Lunch (for 2)$17
-
Indian Food Dinner (for 2)$34
Entertainment
-
Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Mexico City $14Dayton -
Tours and Activities in Mexico City
For Mexico City, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- MUCHO Museum of Chocolate Entrance Ticket: $4.65
- Mexico City Historic Self-Guided Walking Tour: $5.00
- Bike tour in the Chapultepec Forest and Roma Condesa: $5.89
- Mexico City Coyoacán, Frida Kahlo Exploration Game and Tour: $5.89
- Mexico City Self-Guided Audio Experience: $6.00
- Mexico City Self-Guided Walking Tour Aztec Legacy Audio and Quiz: $6.53
- Mexico City Walking Tour 2h40 and 24 audio reviews: $7.12
- Hidden Gems of Exploration Game and Tour: $7.29
- Mexico City Jewish History Smartphone Guided Audio Walking Tour: $7.75
- La Roma's Famous Sights and Local Lore: A Self-Guided Audio Tour: $9.99
- Night Tour of Mexico City Panoramic Ride on a Double-Decker Bus: $10
- Night City Tour in a Double Decker Bus: $10
Tours and Activities in Dayton
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Dayton are as follows:
- Daytona Beach Jet Ski Rental: 1 Ticket = 1 Ski. Riders Free!: $118
- Daytona Beach: 3 Hour Coastal Discovery Boat Cruise: $150
- Daytona Beach: Electric Beach Cruiser Rental: $21
- Daytona Beach: Guided Kayaking or Standup Paddling Tour: $65
- Daytona Beach: Haunted Walking Tour: $24
- Daytona Beach: Lighthouse Harbor Guided eBike Tour: $150
- Daytona Beach: Paddle Pub Experience: $45
- Daytona Beach: World’s Most Famous Beach E-Bike Tour: $150
- Daytona: UTV The Ranch Experience for 4 Paassengers: $375
Alcohol
-
Alcohol Drinks for one dayMexico City $20Dayton -
Sample the Local Flavors in Mexico City
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Mexico City:
- CDMX Pub Crawl: Guided Pub Crawl with Party Games: $24
- Mexico City Pub Crawl: $26
- The Mexico City Pub Crawl: A real chilango night: $33
- THE MEXICO CITY PUB CRAWL: A real chilango night: $35
- Make Your Own Tequila or Mezcal with Distillery and Cocktails: $94
- Zona Rosa Pub Crawl Experience: $100
- Mexican Wine Tasting with Food Pairing: $126
- The Mexican Wine Tasting and Pairing: $127
- Distillery Tour and Lucha Libre Spirits and Showdown: $127
- Private Cheese and Wine Tour to Queretaro: $511
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Mexico City and Dayton, we can see that Dayton is more expensive. And not only is Mexico City much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Mexico City would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Mexico City 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 Mexico City.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Mexico City Expensive? and Is Dayton Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Mexico City or Dayton?
Mexico City has a larger population, and is about 70 times larger than the population of Dayton. When comparing the sizes of Mexico City and Dayton, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.