City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Eugene, OR (101.6) and Salt Lake City, UT (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Eugene, OR goes as far as $99,300 in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,386 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Eugene, OR to Salt Lake City, UT changes real buying power by +0.7%, purely from prices.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Eugene, OR | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,311 in Salt Lake City | $100,694 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Salt Lake City, UT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,386/yr.
71 Strong offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,386/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Eugene → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $77,920 | $78,461 (+22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $129,600 | $130,499 (+7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $82,100 | $82,670 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $85,890 | $86,486 (−23.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.