Living Cost Compare
Gulfport

Mississippi

$1,030/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 $1,030 in Gulfport, MS versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Gulfport, MS is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salt Lake City, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $46,044 in Gulfport, MS and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 39% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. Mississippi has a top state income tax rate of 4.00% and a 7% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Gulfport, MS
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$958
$997
+4% in Salt Lake City, UT
1 Bedroom
$849
$1,166
+37% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$990
$1,461
+48% in Salt Lake City, UT
3 Bedroom
$1,171
$1,993
+70% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$167,100
$495,700
+197% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$46,044
$74,925
+63% in Salt Lake City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$43,470
$55,240
+27% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.7 yr
33.0 yr
+3.7 yr in Gulfport, MS
Homeownership
53.1%
46.8%
+6.3 pp in Gulfport, MS
Bachelor's+ (25+)
22.3%
50.9%
+28.6 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
21.8 min
19.6 min
+2.2 min in Gulfport, MS

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
623.5
878.8
+41% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
3,881.3
5,257.3
+35% 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
67.6°F
52.8°F
+14.8°F in Gulfport, MS
Annual Precipitation
64.7 in
16.1 in
+48.6 in in Gulfport, MS

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$4.27/gal
+18% in Salt Lake City, UT

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.9
13.4
+10% in Gulfport, MS
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$29.04
$11.84
+59% in Gulfport, MS

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 Gulfport, MS
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 (MS / UT)
7%
6.1%
+0.9 pp in MS
Income Tax (top rate)
4.00%
4.50%
+0.5 pp in UT

Gulfport vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Gulfport or Salt Lake City?
Gulfport, MS is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Gulfport than in Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Gulfport versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Gulfport or Salt Lake City?
Gulfport is taxed under Mississippi's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.00% 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).