City comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 8.6% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $108,600 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $614 a year higher in Salt Lake City, UT than in South Bend, IN.
- 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 Salt Lake City, UT to South Bend, IN changes real buying power by +8.6%, purely from prices.
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salt Lake City, UT | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,059 in South Bend | $108,626 in Salt Lake City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,456/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,240 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salt Lake City-Murray, UT and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salt Lake City | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.3 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salt Lake City, UT → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$614/yr.
96 Strong offer
South Bend, IN → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$614/yr.
44 Weak 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 Salt Lake City, UT to South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salt Lake City, UT | South Bend, IN | Real change, Salt Lake City → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salt Lake City, UT | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Salt Lake City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,920 | $58,180 | $63,199 (−18.9%) |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $95,500 | $103,738 (−20.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $77,940 | $84,663 (+3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $93,540 | $101,609 (+18.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.