What salary do you need to live in Salt Lake City, UT?
For a single person: about $76,500/year before taxes to live comfortably. That's the gross income whose UT-taxed take-home covers roughly $1,747 rent plus everyday essentials, with a 20% cushion for savings. Figures include 2025 federal tax, FICA, and an effective 4.5% Utah income tax.
What jobs here actually pay: the typical Salt Lake City worker earns about $55,240/year (BLS OEWS, all occupations) — below the $62,000 a single person needs to cover local essentials, so a median local job alone runs 11% short.
Single person — est. essentials $4,098/mo
Tight
take-home covers $4,098/mo
$62,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $4,918/mo
$76,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $6,147/mo
$99,000/yr
2-person household — est. essentials $5,484/mo
Tight
take-home covers $5,484/mo
$81,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $6,581/mo
$98,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $8,226/mo
$124,500/yr
3-person household — est. essentials $6,817/mo
Tight
take-home covers $6,817/mo
$102,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $8,180/mo
$124,000/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $10,226/mo
$160,500/yr
4-person household — est. essentials $7,846/mo
Tight
take-home covers $7,846/mo
$118,500/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $9,415/mo
$145,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $11,769/mo
$188,500/yr
How we calculate this
Essentials = typical rent ($1,747) + a national non-housing baseline by household size ($2,450 for one person) + Utah's combined sales tax on the taxable share of that spending. We then solve for the gross salary whose after-tax take-home hits each tier, including municipal income tax where the city levies one. These assume adults sharing a home. A household with young children also pays childcare, which in most cities is the largest line after rent — run a search with your own household to price it. Property taxes aren't modeled — see the methodology.
Find jobs in Salt Lake City
Opens each board's search pre-filled for Salt Lake City, UT.
Planning a move here?
Get notified when Salt Lake City gets more affordable, plus relocation tips.
We'll only email you what you asked for. Unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy.