Question 1

Is Phoenix or Salt Lake City cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $285/month less than in Phoenix, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,839/mo in Phoenix versus $1,747/mo in Salt Lake City.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $80,000/year before tax in Phoenix, AZ and $76,500/year in Salt Lake City, UT — a difference of about $3,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Phoenix 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 $10,297/month in Phoenix and $9,707/month in Salt Lake City, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Phoenix 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	Phoenix58	Salt Lake City56
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,383	$4,098
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$10,297	$9,707
Salary for comfort	$80,000/yr	$76,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,839	$1,747
Median home value	$381,900	$495,700
Median household income	$77,041	$74,925
Unemployment	4.7%	3.5%
Housing score	42	27
Jobs score	24	82
Safety score	45	10
Climate score	72	78
Amenities score	92	50
Population	1.6M	203.9K
Summer high / winter low	106° / 46°	93° / 22°

Phoenix, AZ vs Salt Lake City, UT