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

Newark, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,210 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Newark versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.

Which has lower taxes, Newark or Salt Lake City?

Newark is taxed under New Jersey's rules (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).

Newark vs Salt Lake City Cost of Living 2026

Newark

New Jersey

$1,210/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 $1,210 in Newark, NJ versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Newark, NJ is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salt Lake City, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $48,416 in Newark, NJ and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 35% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Newark, NJ

Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio

$1,111

$997

+10% in Newark, NJ

1 Bedroom

$978

$1,166

+19% in Salt Lake City, UT

2 Bedroom

$1,386

$1,461

+5% in Salt Lake City, UT

3 Bedroom

$1,695

$1,993

+18% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$337,800

$495,700

+47% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income

$48,416

$74,925

+55% in Salt Lake City, UT

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,430

$55,240

+10% in Newark, NJ

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.8 yr

33.0 yr

+1.8 yr in Newark, NJ

Homeownership

24.1%

46.8%

+22.7 pp in Salt Lake City, UT

Bachelor's+ (25+)

17.4%

50.9%

+33.5 pp in Salt Lake City, UT

Avg Commute

33.2 min

19.6 min

+13.6 min in Newark, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

582.5

878.8

+51% in Salt Lake City, UT

Property Crime

1,961.8

5,257.3

+168% 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

54.9°F

52.8°F

+2.1°F in Newark, NJ

Annual Precipitation

46.3 in

16.1 in

+30.1 in in Newark, NJ

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)

23.3

13.0

+44% in Newark, NJ

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$15.93

$10.26

+36% in Newark, NJ

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)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Salt Lake City, UT

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Salt Lake City, UT

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Newark, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NJ / UT)

6.625%

6.1%

+0.5 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

10.75%

4.50%

+6.3 pp in NJ

Newark vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Newark or Salt Lake City?: Newark, NJ is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,210 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Newark than in Salt Lake City?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $39,000 a year in Newark versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Newark or Salt Lake City?: Newark is taxed under New Jersey's rules (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).