Living Cost Compare
Evansville

Indiana

$950/mo est.

vs
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $950 in Evansville, IN versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Evansville, IN is roughly 27% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salt Lake City, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,251 in Evansville, IN and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 30% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. Indiana has a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Evansville, IN
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$741
$997
+35% in Salt Lake City, UT
1 Bedroom
$768
$1,166
+52% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$1,022
$1,461
+43% in Salt Lake City, UT
3 Bedroom
$1,167
$1,993
+71% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$129,100
$495,700
+284% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$52,251
$74,925
+43% in Salt Lake City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,540
$55,240
+19% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
38.1 yr
33.0 yr
+5.1 yr in Evansville, IN
Homeownership
53.9%
46.8%
+7.1 pp in Evansville, IN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
50.9%
+28.6 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
18.7 min
19.6 min
+0.9 min in Salt Lake City, UT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,210.5
878.8
+27% in Evansville, IN
Property Crime
3,716.2
5,257.3
+41% in Salt Lake City, UT

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
56.4°F
52.8°F
+3.6°F in Evansville, IN
Annual Precipitation
45.3 in
16.1 in
+29.2 in in Evansville, IN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$4.29/gal
+9% in Salt Lake City, UT

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
18.1
13.0
+29% in Evansville, IN
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$13.70
$10.26
+25% in Evansville, IN

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Salt Lake City, UT
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Evansville, IN
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Salt Lake City, UT
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Evansville, IN
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Salt Lake City, UT

Average prices — Midwest vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IN / UT)
7%
6.1%
+0.9 pp in IN
Income Tax (top rate)
2.95%
4.50%
+1.5 pp in UT

Evansville vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Evansville or Salt Lake City?
Evansville, IN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $950 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 27% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Evansville than in Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Evansville versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Evansville or Salt Lake City?
Evansville is taxed under Indiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 2.95% and a 7% state sales tax); Salt Lake City under Utah's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).