Living Cost Compare
Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,510/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 $1,510 in Raleigh, NC versus $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $82,424 in Raleigh, NC and $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT — about 9% higher in Raleigh, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax.

Raleigh, NC
Salt Lake City, UT

Rent

Studio
$1,301
$997
+23% in Raleigh, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,323
$1,166
+12% in Raleigh, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,462
$1,461
+0% in Raleigh, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,715
$1,993
+16% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$377,800
$495,700
+31% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$82,424
$74,925
+9% in Raleigh, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,990
$55,240
+6% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.7 yr
33.0 yr
+1.7 yr in Raleigh, NC
Homeownership
51.2%
46.8%
+4.4 pp in Raleigh, NC
Bachelor's+ (25+)
52.9%
50.9%
+2.0 pp in Raleigh, NC
Avg Commute
23.4 min
19.6 min
+3.8 min in Raleigh, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
491.5
878.8
+79% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
2,838.4
5,257.3
+85% 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
60.6°F
52.8°F
+7.8°F in Raleigh, NC
Annual Precipitation
46.0 in
16.1 in
+29.9 in in Raleigh, NC

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).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.1
13.0
+14% in Raleigh, NC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.56
$10.26
+63% in Raleigh, NC

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 Raleigh, NC
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 (NC / UT)
4.75%
6.1%
+1.3 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
3.99%
4.50%
+0.5 pp in UT

Raleigh vs Salt Lake City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Raleigh or Salt Lake City?
Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below Raleigh, NC's $1,510, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Raleigh than in Salt Lake City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Raleigh versus $47,000 in Salt Lake City.
Which has lower taxes, Raleigh or Salt Lake City?
Raleigh is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).