Salt Lake City, UT Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Salt Lake City, UT Summary

Cost of living in Salt Lake City research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Salt Lake City is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Utah, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Salt Lake City is 120, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Salt Lake City is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Salt Lake City ranks as the #54 cheapest in Utah out of 92.

  • Salt Lake City ranks as the #4,411 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Salt Lake City is $559,794.

  • The median income in Salt Lake City is $74,925.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
120
Salt Lake City's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Salt Lake City, UT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Salt Lake City has an overall cost of living index of 120, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Utah, Salt Lake City has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Utah's index of 104.

The standard of living in Salt Lake City ranks as #54 most affordable out of the 92 places we measured in Utah. By definition, that implies Salt Lake City ranks as the #38 most expensive place in the Beehive State.

For more reading on life in Salt Lake City, check out:

54 out of 92
In Utah
4,411 out of 6,489
In America

Salt Lake City Cost Of Living Vs. Utah

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Salt Lake City. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Salt Lake City is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Salt Lake City is 98.

  • The Health index in Salt Lake City is 98.

  • The Housing index in Salt Lake City is 162.

  • The Transportation index in Salt Lake City is 108.

  • The Utilities index in Salt Lake City is 94.

Living Expense Salt Lake City Utah National Average
Overall 120 104 100
Services 107 101 100
Groceries 98 98 100
Health 98 90 100
Housing 162 115 100
Transportation 108 104 100
Utilities 94 96 100
For more reading on cost of living around Utah, check out:
Salt Lake City Cost of Living Vs. UT

Salt Lake City, UT Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Utah, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Salt Lake City is $559,794.

  • The Median Rent in Salt Lake City is $1,343.

  • The Median Income in Salt Lake City is $74,925.

  • The Home Value To Income in Salt Lake City is 7.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Salt Lake City is 0.22x.

Statistic Salt Lake City Utah United States
Median Home Value $559,794 $530,804 $303,400
Median Rent $1,343 $1,405 $1,348
Median Income $74,925 $91,750 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.5x 5.8x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.18x 0.21x
$559,794
Median Home Value
$1,343
Median Rent
$74,925
Median Income

Salt Lake City, UT Costs By Category

Detailed Salt Lake City Services Costs Vs. Utah

Item Salt Lake City Utah
Shampoo $1.18 $1.28
Movie $9.94 $12.13
Bowling $19.8 $18
Haircut $20.87 $24.26
Beauty Salon $50.33 $45.56

Detailed Salt Lake City Groceries Costs Vs. Utah

Item Salt Lake City Utah
Ground Beef $5.76 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.51 $1.57
Milk $4.65 $4.67
Potatoes $4.6 $4.93
Pizza $11.69 $12.09
Beer $10.59 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.57 $3.7

Detailed Salt Lake City Health Costs Vs. Utah

Item Salt Lake City Utah
Optometrist $125.19 $125.68
Doctor $117.14 $135.78
Dentist $85.13 $113.29

Detailed Salt Lake City Transportation Costs Vs. Utah

Item Salt Lake City Utah
Gasoline $3.75 $3.46
Tire Balancing $57.07 $59.92

Detailed Salt Lake City Utilities Costs Vs. Utah

Item Salt Lake City Utah
All Electricity $198.43 $193.99
Phone $192.11 $192.25

Salt Lake City SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
5
Diversity
8.5
Safety
3
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
8.5

Articles About Utah

Enjoy The Snack?