Cost of living in Salt Lake City: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Salt Lake City sits 0.9% higher than the US average. For 2024, BEA put the RPP for the metro area of Salt Lake City, UT at 100.9, the US at 100, and housing alone at 123.3.
- Level of prices
- 100.9US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 123.3. Rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Salt Lake City
A regional price parity compares, for one place, the cost of the same basket of goods and services with the US average, set at 100. BEA prices the metro area called Salt Lake City-Murray, UT as a whole, and Salt Lake City sits inside it. Housing (rents) sits furthest from the US average, at 123.3, or 23.3% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Salt Lake City, UT metro | Utah | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 100.9 | 98.9 | +0.9% |
| Goods | 96.4 | 96.4 | −3.6% |
| Housing (rents) | 123.3 | 107.8 | +23.3% |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 78.7 | −21.0% |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.0 | −1.0% |
Regional price parities for metro areas and states, 2024. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. BEA regional price parities
Rents in Salt Lake City
Asking rent in Salt Lake City typically runs $1,571 a month, +0.5% on a year, according to Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which tracks rent on homes listed now. The US figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $1,440, and it counts every renting household, not only new leases. Twelve months of asking rent equals 24% of the median household income.
| Rent | Salt Lake City | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,571 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +0.5% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,440 | $1,487 |
| Median income, portion needed for one year of asking rent | 24% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index; Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, using one-year estimates.
Salt Lake City home prices
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) put a typical Salt Lake City home at $568,970; the index measures the value of a home at the middle of the market. The yearly change is +2.4%, and the US figure is $366,157. That equals 7.4 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 for the US.
| Home prices | Salt Lake City | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $568,970 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +2.4% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +96.4% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 7.4 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 30.2 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and the price chart since 2000: Salt Lake City housing market.
The salary you need for living in Salt Lake City
The salary in Salt Lake City depends on two questions: where you live, plus what you earn. Together they set the pay that buys what your pay buys now.
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- Salary
The method plus every city side by side: city cost of living comparison.
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Salt Lake City cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Typical value of a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | 100.9 | 123.3 | $1,571 | $568,970 |
| St. George | 97.3 | 98.1 | $1,798 | $516,153 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
| San Antonio | 94.7 | 94.6 | $1,381 | $244,623 |
Price levels: BEA regional price parities from 2024, with US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home value comes from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living comparison. All states: cost of living by state.