Living Cost Compare
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Tulsa

Oklahoma

$1,020/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 $1,020 in Tulsa, OK. Overall, Tulsa, OK is roughly 22% 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 $58,407 in Tulsa, OK — about 22% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax; Oklahoma has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 4.5% state sales tax.

Salt Lake City, UT
Tulsa, OK

Rent

Studio
$997
$786
+21% in Salt Lake City, UT
1 Bedroom
$1,166
$847
+27% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$1,461
$1,045
+28% in Salt Lake City, UT
3 Bedroom
$1,993
$1,265
+37% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$495,700
$189,600
+62% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$74,925
$58,407
+22% in Salt Lake City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$55,240
$46,670
+16% in Salt Lake City, UT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.0 yr
35.5 yr
+2.5 yr in Tulsa, OK
Homeownership
46.8%
52.0%
+5.2 pp in Tulsa, OK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
50.9%
33.3%
+17.6 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
19.6 min
18.7 min
+0.9 min in Salt Lake City, UT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
878.8
948.9
+8% in Tulsa, OK
Property Crime
5,257.3
3,664.6
+30% 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
60.1°F
+7.3°F in Tulsa, OK
Annual Precipitation
16.1 in
43.7 in
+27.6 in in Tulsa, OK

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
13.4
+3% in Tulsa, OK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$10.26
$27.15
+165% in Tulsa, OK

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 Tulsa, OK
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 / OK)
6.1%
4.5%
+1.6 pp in UT
Income Tax (top rate)
4.50%
4.50%
about equal

Salt Lake City vs Tulsa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Salt Lake City or Tulsa?
Tulsa, OK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% 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 Tulsa?
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 $34,000 in Tulsa.
Which has lower taxes, Salt Lake City or Tulsa?
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); Tulsa under Oklahoma's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 4.5% 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).