Question 1

Is Portland or Salt Lake City cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Salt Lake City, UT is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $343/month less than in Portland, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,922/mo in Portland versus $1,747/mo in Salt Lake City.

Question 2

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

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $89,000/year before tax in Portland, OR and $76,500/year in Salt Lake City, UT — a difference of about $12,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Portland 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 $10,916/month in Portland and $9,707/month in Salt Lake City, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Portland 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	Portland59	Salt Lake City56
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,441	$4,098
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$10,916	$9,707
Salary for comfort	$89,000/yr	$76,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,922	$1,747
Median home value	$557,600	$495,700
Median household income	$88,792	$74,925
Unemployment	5.2%	3.5%
Housing score	36	27
Jobs score	30	82
Safety score	53	10
Climate score	93	78
Amenities score	79	50
Population	642.7K	203.9K
Summer high / winter low	81° / 36°	93° / 22°

Portland, OR vs Salt Lake City, UT