Salt Lake City, Utah
Living in Salt Lake City, Utah is about 8% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 108 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,644 a month, 15% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $4.31 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 35% of the area's $94,658 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$4.31
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,644
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$13.00
Combo meal
Electricity
13.31¢
per kWh · ~$120/mo
Car Insurance
$165/mo
$1,980/yr
Median Household Income
$94,658
34.7% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $1,980 in Salt Lake City. Compare rates:
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Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Salt Lake City residents actually pay.
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Find the cheapest gas near Salt Lake City:
Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,644/mo in Salt Lake City. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.49 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.07 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$8.05 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$5.31 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.78 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$9.05 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.88 | $5.49 | +41.5% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.60 | $5.07 | +10.2% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.79 | $8.05 | +39.0% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.20 | $5.31 | +26.4% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.15 | $6.78 | +31.7% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.14 | $9.05 | +47.4% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$13.00
Casual Dining
$27.52
Monthly Spend
$458.72
+4.88% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.86
$14.29
+61.3%Wendy's
2022: $10.00
$15.43
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.72
$16.00
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $5.21
$7.23
+38.8%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Salt Lake City?
Average 1BR: $1,348/mo · 2BR: $1,940/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
796k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,490
$77k/yr
Top Sector
Trade, Transportation & Utilities
Household vs Worker Pay
$95k
household median
Employment by Sector — Salt Lake City
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$68k/yr
~$100k/yr
~$63k/yr
~$32k/yr
~$105k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 49035
Highest Paying Sector
Information
$2,398/wk · $125k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$617/wk · $32k/yr
Salt Lake City Cost of Living FAQ
Is Salt Lake City, UT expensive to live in?
Salt Lake City has a cost of living index of 108, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 8% more expensive than average. It is the most expensive of the 6 Utah cities we track.
What is the average rent in Salt Lake City, UT?
Typical rent in Salt Lake City is $1,644 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 15% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,348 and two bedrooms about $1,940. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Salt Lake City?
Rent in Salt Lake City rose 0.7% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Salt Lake City?
Regular unleaded costs about $4.31 a gallon in Salt Lake City as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Utah. That is 8% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Salt Lake City?
Homes in Utah pay an average of 13.3 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Salt Lake City is about $120.
How much is car insurance in Salt Lake City?
Full coverage car insurance averages $1,980 a year in Utah, or about $165 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Salt Lake City?
Median household income in the Salt Lake City area is $94,658 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $32,846 a year, or 35% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,112 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Salt Lake City compare with the rest of Utah?
Rent in Salt Lake City is 13% below the $1,885 average across the 6 Utah cities we track, and its cost of living index of 108 compares with a state average of 103.
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