City comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs Spokane, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Salt Lake City, UT (100.9) and Spokane, WA (100.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Salt Lake City, UT goes as far as $99,500 in Spokane, WA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, UT and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,534 a year higher in Salt Lake City, UT than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.5% moving from Salt Lake City, UT to Spokane, WA ($106,437 → $106,991), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salt Lake City, UT | Spokane, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,482 in Spokane | $100,520 in Salt Lake City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,456/mo | $1,193/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,240 | $54,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID |
Rent areas: Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area and Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salt Lake City-Murray, UT and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salt Lake City | Spokane |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.3 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 91.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salt Lake City, UT → Spokane, WA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,534/yr.
70 Strong offer
Spokane, WA → Salt Lake City, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,534/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salt Lake City, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Spokane, WA is in Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID. The last column shows what a transfer from Salt Lake City, UT to Spokane, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salt Lake City, UT | Spokane, WA | Real change, Salt Lake City → Spokane |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,044 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,068 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,974 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,991 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,432 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salt Lake City, UT | Spokane, WA | Spokane pay in Salt Lake City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,920 | $98,800 | $99,314 (+27.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $130,690 | $131,370 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $86,350 | $86,799 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $111,750 | $112,331 (+30.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.