Living Cost Compare
Omaha

Nebraska

$1,130/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 $1,130 in Omaha, NE versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Omaha, NE is roughly 13% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salt Lake City, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,708 in Omaha, NE and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 3% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Omaha, NE
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$908
$997
+10% in Salt Lake City, UT
1 Bedroom
$984
$1,166
+18% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$1,193
$1,461
+22% in Salt Lake City, UT
3 Bedroom
$1,437
$1,993
+39% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$230,100
$495,700
+115% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$72,708
$74,925
+3% in Salt Lake City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,660
$55,240
+11% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.3 yr
33.0 yr
+2.3 yr in Omaha, NE
Homeownership
57.7%
46.8%
+10.9 pp in Omaha, NE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.3%
50.9%
+10.6 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
19.6 min
19.6 min
about equal

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
359
878.8
+145% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
3,153.5
5,257.3
+67% 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
51.1°F
52.8°F
+1.7°F in Salt Lake City, UT
Annual Precipitation
30.6 in
16.1 in
+14.5 in in Omaha, NE

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)
$1.25
—

Adult base one-way fare — Metro Transit (Omaha) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.6
13.0
+5% in Omaha, NE
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.53
$10.26
+34% in Omaha, NE

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 Omaha, NE
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Salt Lake City, UT
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Omaha, NE
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 (NE / UT)
5.5%
6.1%
+0.6 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
4.55%
4.50%
+0.0 pp in NE

Omaha vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Omaha or Salt Lake City?
Omaha, NE is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,130 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Omaha 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 Omaha versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Omaha or Salt Lake City?
Omaha is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).