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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Utah

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Utah from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 5 metro areas.

98.9
Statewide RPP
#21
of 51 states by cost
107.8
Rents RPP
5
Metro areas

The verdict

Utah costs less than 41% of U.S. states — a statewide index of 98.9, 1.1% below the national average.

98.9
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#21
of 51 states by overall cost
bottom 59%
nationally, among all states
107.8
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $101,149 when earned in Utah.

Reading the Utah Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Utah's statewide Regional Price Parity at 98.9 for the 2024 data year, 1.1% less expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's rents line runs hottest at 107.8, while services offer the biggest relief at 78.7. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Utah captures 5 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Salt Lake City-Murray, UT leads on cost at 100.9, while Logan, UT-ID sits at the opposite end at 95.9 — a gap of 4.9 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 96.4, for services 78.7, and for rents 107.8 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Utah's statewide index has held steady within 1.9 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $101,149 of national buying power when earned inside Utah, and a household relocating here would need roughly $98,864 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

98.9
Overall
96.4
Goods
78.7
Services
107.8
Rents

Utah vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

99 Top 41% higher than 59% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Above this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). Above this entry. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. 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

Most Expensive in Utah → Cheapest in Utah →

Metro areas in Utah, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Salt Lake City-Murray 100.9 96.4 79.0 123.3
2 Ogden 100.3 96.4 78.8 117.9
3 Provo-Orem-Lehi 98.2 96.4 78.6 104.1
4 St. George 97.3 96.4 77.7 98.1
5 Logan 95.9 96.4 77.9 91.0

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 97.0
2009 100.0
2010 97.3
2011 99.8
2012 99.4
2013 98.6
2014 97.9
2015 97.6
2016 97.1
2017 98.7
2018 96.0
2019 97.2
2020 95.3
2021 94.5
2022 94.6
2023 95.7
2024 98.9

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
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Utah? ▼
Utah has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 98.9, meaning it is 1.1% less expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 96.4, services at 78.7, and rents at 107.8.
What salary in Utah equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $98,864 in Utah. Conversely, $100K earned in Utah has the purchasing power of $101,149 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Utah? ▼
Rents in Utah are indexed at 107.8, which is 7.8% above the national average. Housing costs are close to the national average.
Which is the most expensive metro in Utah? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Utah is Salt Lake City-Murray, UT with an RPP of 100.9. The most affordable is Logan, UT-ID at 95.9. There are 5 metro areas in Utah with BEA price data.
Is Utah getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Utah's overall cost index changed by +1.9 points (from 97.0 to 98.9). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What is most expensive in Utah compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Utah is rents at 107.8, which is 7.8% above the national average. The most affordable category is services at 78.7, 21.3% below average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.