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

Memphis, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,110 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $38,000 a year in Memphis versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.

Which has lower taxes, Memphis or Salt Lake City?

Memphis is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax 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).

Memphis vs Salt Lake City Cost of Living 2026

Memphis

Tennessee

$1,110/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 $1,110 in Memphis, TN versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Memphis, TN is roughly 15% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salt Lake City, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $51,211 in Memphis, TN and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 32% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Memphis, TN

Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio

$877

$997

+14% in Salt Lake City, UT

1 Bedroom

$948

$1,166

+23% in Salt Lake City, UT

2 Bedroom

$1,073

$1,461

+36% in Salt Lake City, UT

3 Bedroom

$1,281

$1,993

+56% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$157,100

$495,700

+216% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income

$51,211

$74,925

+46% in Salt Lake City, UT

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,890

$55,240

+18% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.3 yr

33.0 yr

+1.3 yr in Memphis, TN

Homeownership

46.0%

46.8%

+0.8 pp in Salt Lake City, UT

Bachelor's+ (25+)

28.2%

50.9%

+22.7 pp in Salt Lake City, UT

Avg Commute

21.3 min

19.6 min

+1.7 min in Memphis, TN

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

2,507.6

878.8

+65% in Memphis, TN

Property Crime

6,966.3

5,257.3

+25% in Memphis, TN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

63.1°F

52.8°F

+10.3°F in Memphis, TN

Annual Precipitation

53.7 in

16.1 in

+37.6 in in Memphis, TN

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$4.29/gal

+9% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.75

—

Adult base one-way fare — MATA vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.5

13.0

+10% in Memphis, TN

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$16.83

$10.26

+39% in Memphis, TN

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 Memphis, TN

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 (TN / UT)

6.1%

+0.9 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.50%

+4.5 pp in UT

Memphis vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Memphis or Salt Lake City?: Memphis, TN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,110 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 15% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Memphis than in Salt Lake City?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $38,000 a year in Memphis versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Memphis or Salt Lake City?: Memphis is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax 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).