Is it cheaper to live in Frederick or Salt Lake City?

Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Frederick, MD's $1,640, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Frederick than in Salt Lake City?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Frederick versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.

Which has lower taxes, Frederick or Salt Lake City?

Frederick is taxed under Maryland's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.50% and a 6% 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).

Frederick vs Salt Lake City Cost of Living 2026

Frederick

Maryland

$1,640/mo est.

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 $1,640 in Frederick, MD versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Frederick, MD, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $95,150 in Frederick, MD and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 21% higher in Frederick, MD. Maryland has a top state income tax rate of 6.50% and a 6% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Frederick, MD

Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio

$1,658

$997

+40% in Frederick, MD

1 Bedroom

$1,418

$1,166

+18% in Frederick, MD

2 Bedroom

$1,661

$1,461

+12% in Frederick, MD

3 Bedroom

$1,863

$1,993

+7% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$365,200

$495,700

+36% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income

$95,150

$74,925

+21% in Frederick, MD

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$71,060

$55,240

+22% in Frederick, MD

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.1 yr

33.0 yr

+4.1 yr in Frederick, MD

Homeownership

59.2%

46.8%

+12.4 pp in Frederick, MD

Bachelor's+ (25+)

41.8%

50.9%

+9.1 pp in Salt Lake City, UT

Avg Commute

30.1 min

19.6 min

+10.5 min in Frederick, MD

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

406

878.8

+116% in Salt Lake City, UT

Property Crime

1,696.3

5,257.3

+210% 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

52.1°F

52.8°F

+0.7°F in Salt Lake City, UT

Annual Precipitation

—

16.1 in

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.86/gal

$4.29/gal

+11% in Salt Lake City, UT

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

21.8

13.0

+40% in Frederick, MD

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.94

$10.26

+46% in Frederick, MD

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Salt Lake City, UT

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Salt Lake City, UT

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Frederick, MD

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Salt Lake City, UT

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Salt Lake City, UT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MD / UT)

6.1%

+0.1 pp in UT

Income Tax (top rate)

6.50%

4.50%

+2.0 pp in MD

Frederick vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Frederick or Salt Lake City?: Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Frederick, MD's $1,640, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Frederick than in Salt Lake City?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Frederick versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Frederick or Salt Lake City?: Frederick is taxed under Maryland's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.50% and a 6% 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).