Living Cost Compare
Huntsville

Alabama

$1,090/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 $1,090 in Huntsville, AL versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Huntsville, AL is roughly 16% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salt Lake City, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $70,778 in Huntsville, AL and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 6% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. Alabama has a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Huntsville, AL
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$815
$997
+22% in Salt Lake City, UT
1 Bedroom
$900
$1,166
+30% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$1,080
$1,461
+35% in Salt Lake City, UT
3 Bedroom
$1,251
$1,993
+59% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$263,100
$495,700
+88% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$70,778
$74,925
+6% in Salt Lake City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,740
$55,240
+7% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
33.0 yr
+3.4 yr in Huntsville, AL
Homeownership
58.1%
46.8%
+11.3 pp in Huntsville, AL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
46.2%
50.9%
+4.7 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
19.3 min
19.6 min
+0.3 min in Salt Lake City, UT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
483.2
878.8
+82% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
2,395.7
5,257.3
+119% 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
62.1°F
52.8°F
+9.3°F in Huntsville, AL
Annual Precipitation
54.3 in
16.1 in
+38.2 in in Huntsville, AL

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)
16.4
13.4
+18% in Huntsville, AL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$24.06
$11.84
+51% in Huntsville, AL

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 Huntsville, AL
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 (AL / UT)
4%
6.1%
+2.1 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
5.00%
4.50%
+0.5 pp in AL

Huntsville vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Huntsville or Salt Lake City?
Huntsville, AL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,090 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 16% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Huntsville than in Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Huntsville versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Huntsville or Salt Lake City?
Huntsville is taxed under Alabama's rules (a top state income tax rate of 5.00% and a 4% 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).