Question 1

Is Denver or Salt Lake City cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $401/month less than in Denver, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,089/mo in Denver versus $1,747/mo in Salt Lake City.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Denver vs Salt Lake City?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $84,500/year before tax in Denver, CO and $76,500/year in Salt Lake City, UT — a difference of about $8,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Denver or Salt Lake City cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Salt Lake City, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $11,167/month in Denver and $9,707/month in Salt Lake City, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Denver or Salt Lake City?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Salt Lake City costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Denver54	Salt Lake City56
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,499	$4,098
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$11,167	$9,707
Salary for comfort	$84,500/yr	$76,500/yr
Typical rent	$2,089	$1,747
Median home value	$586,700	$495,700
Median household income	$91,681	$74,925
Unemployment	4.1%	3.5%
Housing score	30	27
Jobs score	44	82
Safety score	35	10
Climate score	74	78
Amenities score	64	50
Population	713.7K	203.9K
Summer high / winter low	88° / 17°	93° / 22°

Denver, CO vs Salt Lake City, UT