Route comparison
Denver, CO vs Salt Lake City, UT: Cost of Living
Compare the cost of living between Denver, CO and Salt Lake City, UT. See the equivalent salary and median rent powered by BLS Regional Price Parities.
Denver, CO
CO
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 107.4
- Housing RPP
- 145.8
- Goods RPP
- 105.5
- 2-BR median rent
- $2,201/mo
Colorado flat income tax 4.4%. Denver city tax 2.25% on wages.
Salt Lake City, UT
UT
- Overall RPP (US=100)
- 95.7
- Housing RPP
- 116.5
- Goods RPP
- 94.7
- 2-BR median rent
- $1,606/mo
Utah flat income tax 4.65%.
Equivalent salary
Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper than Denver, CO by about 10.9% (RPP 107.4 to 95.7).
$60,000 in Denver, CO
-> $53,464
in Salt Lake City, UT
$100,000 in Denver, CO
-> $89,106
in Salt Lake City, UT
$150,000 in Denver, CO
-> $133,659
in Salt Lake City, UT
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.
Migration signal: Denver, CO vs Salt Lake City, UT
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Denver, CO
- Net people
- −9,607
- Net rank
- #49 of 65
- Top origin share
- 3%
- Top destination share
- 3%
Largest source: Boulder County, CO. Largest destination: Weld County, CO.
Salt Lake City, UT
- Net people
- −10,413
- Net rank
- #50 of 65
- Top origin share
- 16%
- Top destination share
- 20%
Largest source: Utah County, UT. Largest destination: Utah County, UT.
Rent delta: Salt Lake City, UT is $595/mo lower for HUD FY2024 2-BR FMR than Denver, CO. Housing RPP moves from 145.8 to 116.5.
Migration figures are derived from IRS SOI county-to-county migration data for 2021-2022, mapped to metros via Census CBSA delineation. Small county-to-county flows are IRS-suppressed, so per-metro totals are lower bounds. Source: IRS SOI migration data.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Salt Lake City, UT cheaper or more expensive than Denver, CO?
- Salt Lake City, UT (RPP 95.7) is cheaper than Denver, CO (RPP 107.4) by about 10.9%.
- What salary do I need in Salt Lake City, UT if I earn $100,000 in Denver, CO?
- You would need approximately $89,106 in Salt Lake City, UT to maintain the same purchasing power as $100,000 in Denver, CO. Formula: $100,000 x (95.7 / 107.4).
- Which metro had stronger net migration, Denver, CO or Salt Lake City, UT?
- For 2021-2022, Denver, CO had a net loss of 9,607 people, while Salt Lake City, UT had a net loss of 10,413 people. IRS small-flow suppression means these are lower-bound research signals, not complete population-change totals.