Cost of Living in Salt Lake City, UT

An Overview of Cost of Living in Salt Lake City, UT

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Salt Lake City? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Salt Lake City stands at 122, making it 22% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.

If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Salt Lake City may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Salt Lake City falls within this bracket.

Housing costs are a major factor in the Salt Lake City cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 64.4% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Salt Lake City?

Nobody knows their city better than the people who actually live there. So, we asked 18 local residents how they would rate the cost of living in Salt Lake City and this is how they responded. 44% of people said that the cost of living was affordable, with prices decreasing, while 56% of people said that the cost of living was very expensive and prices continue to rise.

Is Salt Lake City Affordable?

Is Salt Lake City affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Salt Lake City, for instance, where the median home price falls 87.4% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 10.6% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Salt Lake City flaunting a median household income of $63,156, 14.2% higher than the national norm.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Salt Lake City?

Urbanization: Larger, urban areas boasting abundant amenities and robust employment prospects often exhibit a heightened cost of living, driven by the increased demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural locales or regions marked by diminished demand typically offer a more limited range of amenities and experience slower job market expansion. This translates into a more affordable cost of living.

Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In Salt Lake City, healthcare costs are 3.8% lower than the national average.

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Salt Lake City, the housing index is 64.4% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Salt Lake City cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.