Cost of Living in Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City, UT scores 108 on the cost-of-living index — about 8% more expensive than the US average of 100, and #25 of 77 US cities we track.
Compare your salary: Salt Lake City vs any US city
Enter where you live now and what you earn — see the equivalent salary needed in Salt Lake City to keep the same standard of living.
To live the way $100,000 affords in Salt Lake City, UT, you would need about $173,148 in New York City, NY — roughly 73.1% more.
| Category | Salt Lake City | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 108 | 187 | +73% |
| Housing | 117 | 287 | +145% |
| Groceries | 103 | 137 | +33% |
| Utilities | 104 | 130 | +25% |
| Transportation | 104 | 120 | +15% |
| Healthcare | 103 | 128 | +24% |
Salt Lake City cost-of-living breakdown
| Category | Index | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 108 | +8% |
| Housing | 117 | +17% |
| Groceries | 103 | +3% |
| Utilities | 104 | +4% |
| Transportation | 104 | +4% |
| Healthcare | 103 | +3% |
Note These are approximate comparative estimates on a US-average = 100 scale (the C2ER/ACCRA and BestPlaces convention). Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle — treat the numbers as directional.
Frequently asked questions
Is Salt Lake City expensive to live in?
Salt Lake City, UT has a cost-of-living index of 108, where the US average is 100. That makes it about 8% more expensive than a typical US city, and ranks it #25 of 77 cities in our index. Housing is the biggest single factor, with a housing index of 117.
What is the cost-of-living index for Salt Lake City?
The overall index is 108 (US average = 100). By category: housing 117, groceries 103, utilities 104, transportation 104 and healthcare 103. A value above 100 means costlier than average; below 100 means cheaper.
How much salary do I need to live in Salt Lake City?
It depends on where you're moving from. Use the calculator above: enter your current city and salary, and it scales your pay by the ratio of the two cities' indices to show the equivalent salary needed in Salt Lake City to keep the same standard of living.
How is the Salt Lake City cost-of-living index calculated?
It is a comparative estimate on the same US-average = 100 scale used by the C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index and BestPlaces, spanning housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. These are approximate estimates — actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle.
Which is the cheapest category in Salt Lake City?
In Salt Lake City, groceries is the most affordable category relative to the US average (index 103), while housing is the priciest (index 117).