Living Cost Compare
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Sioux Falls

South Dakota

$1,030/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,030 in Sioux Falls, SD. Overall, Sioux Falls, SD is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Salt Lake City, UT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT and $74,714 in Sioux Falls, SD. Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax; South Dakota has no state income tax and a 4.2% state sales tax.

Salt Lake City, UT
Sioux Falls, SD

Rent

Studio
$997
$825
+17% in Salt Lake City, UT
1 Bedroom
$1,166
$870
+25% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$1,461
$1,000
+32% in Salt Lake City, UT
3 Bedroom
$1,993
$1,237
+38% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$495,700
$271,400
+45% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$74,925
$74,714
+0% in Salt Lake City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$55,240
$47,970
+13% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.0 yr
35.1 yr
+2.1 yr in Sioux Falls, SD
Homeownership
46.8%
60.0%
+13.2 pp in Sioux Falls, SD
Bachelor's+ (25+)
50.9%
37.4%
+13.5 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
19.6 min
17.0 min
+2.6 min in Salt Lake City, UT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
878.8
526.7
+40% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
5,257.3
2,927.1
+44% 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
52.8°F
45.8°F
+7.0°F in Salt Lake City, UT
Annual Precipitation
16.1 in
26.4 in
+10.3 in in Sioux Falls, SD

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$3.94/gal
+8% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.0
15.7
+21% in Sioux Falls, SD
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.26
$10.95
+7% in Sioux Falls, SD

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.31
+10% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.66
+19% in Salt Lake City, UT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in Sioux Falls, SD
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.77
+8% in Salt Lake City, UT
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.10
+4% in Sioux Falls, SD
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (UT / SD)
6.1%
4.2%
+1.9 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
4.50%
None
+4.5 pp in UT

Salt Lake City vs Sioux Falls — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Salt Lake City or Sioux Falls?
Sioux Falls, SD is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,030 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Salt Lake City, UT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Salt Lake City than in Sioux Falls?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Salt Lake City versus $35,000 in Sioux Falls.
Which has lower taxes, Salt Lake City or Sioux Falls?
Salt Lake City is taxed under Utah's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax); Sioux Falls under South Dakota's (no state income tax and a 4.2% 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).