City profile
Salt Lake City, UT cost of living
UT · BLS RPP 95.7
Overall RPP
95.7
US = 100
Housing RPP
116.5
Housing component
Goods RPP
94.7
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,606/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Salt Lake City, UT sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#42 of 67
-4.3 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
-2.7
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#34 of 67
+0/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Salt Lake City, UT
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Salt Lake City, UT metro.
Moved in
51,331
people · 30,798 households
Moved out
61,744
people · 33,279 households
Net
−10,413
net loss of residents
Net migration rank
#50 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
-10,309
median -104 people
Largest flow share
16% in / 20% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Utah County, UT 8,072
- Davis County, UT 4,196
- Weber County, UT 1,601
- Los Angeles County, CA 1,289
- Maricopa County, AZ 1,056
Where residents moved to
- Utah County, UT 12,109
- Davis County, UT 5,720
- Weber County, UT 2,055
- Washington County, UT 1,596
- Maricopa County, AZ 1,101
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Salt Lake City, UT?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Salt Lake City, UT | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $47,850 | $50,000 x (95.7/100) |
| $75,000 | $71,775 | $75,000 x (95.7/100) |
| $100,000 | $95,700 | $100,000 x (95.7/100) |
| $125,000 | $119,625 | $125,000 x (95.7/100) |
| $150,000 | $143,550 | $150,000 x (95.7/100) |
| $200,000 | $191,400 | $200,000 x (95.7/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
Utah flat income tax 4.65%.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Salt Lake City, UT?
- Salt Lake City, UT has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 95.7 (US average = 100). It is 4.3% less expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Salt Lake City, UT?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $95,700 in Salt Lake City, UT to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Salt Lake City, UT?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Salt Lake City, UT is approximately $1,606 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Salt Lake City, UT?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 51,331 people moved into the Salt Lake City, UT metro and 61,744 moved out — a net loss of roughly 10,413 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Utah County, UT.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Salt Lake City, UT, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Salt Lake City, UT
Side-by-side cost of living and the equivalent salary you'd need — pick a destination.