Overall
100.9
+0.9 above avg
Metro cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT
Cost-of-living indicators for Salt Lake City-Murray, UT, from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100.
- 100.9
- Overall RPP
- #73
- of 387 metros
- 123.3
- Rents RPP
- $99K
- $100K national buys
Salt Lake City ranks #73 of 387 U.S. metros by cost, and its overall price index has risen 2.4 points since 2008.
- rising since 2008
- similar cost to Ann Arbor
The verdict
Salt Lake City is more expensive than 81% of U.S. metros, an overall cost index of 100.9, 0.9% above the national average, led by rents at 123.3.
- top 19%
- by overall cost, nationwide
- 96.4
- goods RPP, tradable items
- 79.0
- services RPP, labor-priced
- $94K
- local median income, national buying power
A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $99,139 here; matching a $100K lifestyle takes roughly $100,868.
What the Numbers Mean for Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City ranks #73 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it among the priciest quarter of U.S. metros. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 100.9, Salt Lake City-Murray, UT is 0.9% more expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Salt Lake City's most and least expensive categories - rents at 123.3 versus services at 79.0 - is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $99,139 inside Salt Lake City, while a household needs roughly $100,868 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 123.3 - 23.3% above the national average, so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Salt Lake City's overall index has risen by 2.4 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 96.4 and services at 79.0, meaning everyday spending in Salt Lake City is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Salt Lake City vs every U.S. metro
Where this metro sits in the national cost distribution
101 Top 19% higher than 81% of 387 US metros
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities · 2024
Salt Lake City cost breakdown
BEA RPP by category, 100 = national average
- Rents
Rents
123.3 RPP
- Services
Services
79 RPP
- Overall
Overall
100.9 RPP
- Goods
Goods
96.4 RPP
What this shows Salt Lake City's gap from the national average is led by rents at 123.3. Goods barely move between metros; the spread you feel is housing and services.
Goods vs. housing, where Salt Lake City's cost comes from
Metros near Salt Lake City's overall cost, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) and housing price (vertical). Same headline RPP, very different structures.
Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 96.4, rents 119.8). Salt Lake City is pricier than its peers on both housing and goods. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Price Index Summary
Goods
96.4
-3.6 below avg
Services
79.0
-21.0 below avg
Rents
123.3
+23.3 above avg
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$100,868
in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$50,434
$75,000 nationally
$75,651
$125,000 nationally
$126,085
$150,000 nationally
$151,302
$200,000 nationally
$201,736
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 2.4 points over this period. The largest single-year move was in 2024, when the index jumped 3.7 points from the year before, a bigger swing than the full 2008-2024 change.
Salt Lake City overall RPP, 2008-2024
Every year on record, national average = 100
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 98.5 |
| 2009 | 102.0 |
| 2010 | 99.2 |
| 2011 | 102.7 |
| 2012 | 102.2 |
| 2013 | 100.9 |
| 2014 | 100.3 |
| 2015 | 99.1 |
| 2016 | 98.3 |
| 2017 | 100.5 |
| 2018 | 97.8 |
| 2019 | 99.6 |
| 2020 | 97.3 |
| 2021 | 96.1 |
| 2022 | 95.8 |
| 2023 | 97.1 |
| 2024 | 100.9 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Salt Lake City-Murray, UT's index of 100.9.
What this means for Salt Lake City
How to read Salt Lake City's cost of living before a move, a job offer, or a budget.
- Budget to local prices, not headline pay, a $100K national salary spends like about $99,139 in Salt Lake City. Salary calculator
- Weigh housing heaviest: rents here index at 123.3 (23.3% above average) - the single largest swing in the RPP, while goods barely move between metros.
- Local median household income is $95,045; adjusted for Salt Lake City's price level that is about $94,227 in national-average buying power.
- Compare Salt Lake City head-to-head against a specific destination before you decide. Compare metros
RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark for the data year shown, not a live market quote. Pair it with current local wages and housing costs before deciding.
Compare to Other Metros
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT? ▼
Salt Lake City-Murray, UT has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 100.9, meaning it is 0.9% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.4, services at 79.0, and rents at 123.3. It ranks #73 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $100,868 in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT. Conversely, $100K earned in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT has the purchasing power of $99,139 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT? ▼
Rents in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT are indexed at 123.3, which is 23.3% above the national average. This is significantly higher than typical U.S. rents.
Is Salt Lake City-Murray, UT getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Salt Lake City-Murray, UT's overall cost index changed by +2.4 points (from 98.5 to 100.9). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What costs the most in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT? ▼
The priciest category in Salt Lake City-Murray, UT is rents at 123.3, 23.3% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 79.0, 21.0% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Salt Lake City-Murray, UT? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Ann Arbor, Bakersfield-Delano, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Salt Lake City-Murray, UT's 100.9.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Federal data behind these figures
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) - the cost-of-living indices shown on this page. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) - the gross-rent observations BEA uses to build the rents component. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) - the price program underlying BEA's goods and services price relatives. bls.gov/cpi
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) - wage reference for the labor-driven services component. bls.gov/oes
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - federal 40th-percentile rent cross-reference for the housing component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
Every figure on PlainCost is rendered directly from BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, our changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Rankings measure the published cost-of-living index only; we don't recommend where to live or rate any metro's quality of life.