San Francisco vs Salt Lake City
San Francisco, CA · Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City is 48% cheaper than San Francisco overall.
Home Price
San: $1,350,000
Salt: $485,000
Monthly Rent
San: $3,498/mo
Salt: $1,149/mo
COL Index
San: 214
Salt: 111
Median Income
San: $131,000
Salt: $77,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in San Francisco has the same purchasing power as $51,869 in Salt Lake City — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Salt Lake City cost 64% more (-$865,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Salt Lake City saves you $2,349/month — $28,188 per year. Median rent: $3,498/mo in San Francisco vs $1,149/mo in Salt Lake City.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, San Francisco owners pay roughly $8,505/year in property taxes vs $2,571/year in Salt Lake City. That's a $5,935 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $131,000 in San Francisco and $77,200 in Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City residents earn 41% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 34 minutes in San Francisco vs 23 minutes in Salt Lake City. Over a year, that's 5500 extra minutes (92 hours) of commuting in San Francisco.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from San Francisco to Salt Lake City, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in San Francisco | Equivalent in Salt Lake City | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $25,935 | -$24,065 |
| $75,000 | $38,902 | -$36,098 |
| $100,000 | $51,869 | -$48,131 |
| $150,000 | $77,804 | -$72,196 |
| $200,000 | $103,738 | -$96,262 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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San Francisco vs Salt Lake City: Common Questions
Is San Francisco or Salt Lake City cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Salt Lake City is cheaper overall. San Francisco has a COL index of 214 while Salt Lake City scores 111 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between San Francisco and Salt Lake City?
The median home price in San Francisco is $1,350,000 vs $485,000 in Salt Lake City — a difference of $865,000 (64%).
What salary do I need in Salt Lake City to match my San Francisco income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in San Francisco is equivalent to $51,869 in Salt Lake City in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Salt Lake City has a lower property tax rate (0.53% vs 0.63%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,571/year vs $8,505/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.