Living Cost Compare
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 13% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 5% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Salt Lake City, UT
Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio
$997
$1,242
+25% in Tampa, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,166
$1,324
+14% in Tampa, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,461
$1,673
+15% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,993
$1,729
+13% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$495,700
$375,300
+24% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$74,925
$71,302
+5% in Salt Lake City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$55,240
$48,940
+11% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.0 yr
35.6 yr
+2.6 yr in Tampa, FL
Homeownership
46.8%
50.2%
+3.4 pp in Tampa, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
50.9%
44.6%
+6.3 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
19.6 min
24.7 min
+5.1 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
878.8
443.2
+50% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
5,257.3
1,473.2
+72% 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
73.4°F
+20.6°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
16.1 in
46.3 in
+30.2 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.29/gal
$3.77/gal
+12% in Salt Lake City, UT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.0
15.2
+17% in Tampa, FL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.26
$23.62
+130% in Tampa, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Salt Lake City, UT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Tampa, FL
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Salt Lake City, UT
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (UT / FL)
6.1%
6%
+0.1 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
4.50%
None
+4.5 pp in UT

Salt Lake City vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Salt Lake City or Tampa?
Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Salt Lake City than in Tampa?
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 $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Salt Lake City or Tampa?
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); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% 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).