Cost of living index

Salt Lake City, UT

100.9 / 100

Living in Salt Lake City, UT is 0.9% more expensive than the US average — the #72 of 387 highest nationally.

Median rent: $1,486/mo

Median home value: $478,200

Figures — including the cost index, median rent, and median home value — cover the wider Salt Lake City, UT metropolitan area, not individual neighbourhoods or city boundaries.

Seasonal weather

Winter

41° / 26°F

(5° / -3°C)

4.1 in precip

Spring

63° / 43°F

(17° / 6°C)

5.7 in precip

Summer

90° / 65°F

(32° / 18°C)

2 in precip

Fall

66° / 44°F

(19° / 7°C)

3.6 in precip

30-year climate normals (1991–2020) from SALT LAKE CITY INTL AP, via NOAA.

What it costs to live in Salt Lake City, UT

The Salt Lake City, UT metro area has an overall price level of 100.9 compared with the national average of 100, meaning everyday costs run about 0.9% higher than a typical US metro. Housing tells the sharper story: at 123.3 it is 23.3% above the national average. Housing rents are often one of the largest sources of difference between metro areas, so this figure can have a significant impact when comparing locations.

Cost breakdown

Overall#72 of 387

100.9

Goods#152 of 387

96.4

Housing rents#38 of 387

123.3

Utilities#320 of 387

79.0

Other services#157 of 387

99.0

Salt Lake City, UT is moved up the most by housing rents, at 123.3 vs a US average of 100, while the closest to average is other services.

How Salt Lake City, UT compares

Other metros in Utah

Logan, UT95.9 Ogden, UT100.3 Provo, UT98.2 St. George, UT97.3

Browse Utah →See the cheapest and most expensive US metros →

Data source

Figures on this page come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities dataset, 2024 — the most recent year published. An index of 100 marks the national average; a metro above 100 has higher prices than a typical US metro, below 100 lower. Median rent and median home value are from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 5-year estimates, and seasonal weather is from NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals. These are regional figures only, not a complete personal budget — they don’t account for individual spending habits, taxes, or household circumstances. See the full methodology for how the index and salary-equivalent estimates are calculated.

Compare My City is an independent project and is not operated by, endorsed by, or affiliated with the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the Census Bureau, or NOAA.

Common questions

Is Salt Lake City, UT an expensive place to live?

Salt Lake City, UT has an overall cost-of-living index of 100.9, where 100 is the US average. That makes it about 0.9% more expensive than the country as a whole.

Is housing expensive in Salt Lake City, UT?

Housing rents in Salt Lake City, UT score 123.3 against a US average of 100 — roughly 23.3% above average. Housing rents are often the main driver of differences in overall price levels between metro areas.

How does Salt Lake City, UT compare to the US average cost of living?

Overall prices in Salt Lake City, UT sit at 100.9 versus 100 for the US average, with housing at 123.3. Figures come from the US Bureau of Economic Analysis for 2024.