Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,830/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 $1,830 in Naperville, IL versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 29% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 50% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Naperville, IL
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$997
+42% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$1,166
+27% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$1,461
+23% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$1,993
+19% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$495,700
+3% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$74,925
+50% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$55,240
+1% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
33.0 yr
+7.1 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
46.8%
+27.5 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
50.9%
+20.8 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
19.6 min
+11.8 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
878.8
+925% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
892.2
5,257.3
+489% 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
49.9°F
52.8°F
+2.9°F in Salt Lake City, UT
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
16.1 in
+20.8 in in Naperville, IL

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)
23.9
13.0
+46% in Naperville, IL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.39
$10.26
+33% in Naperville, IL

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 Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Salt Lake City, UT
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Naperville, IL
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 (IL / UT)
6.25%
6.1%
+0.2 pp in IL
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
4.50%
+0.5 pp in IL

Naperville vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 29% below Naperville, IL's $1,830, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or Salt Lake City?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% 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).