City comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 7.9% higher than in Salt Lake City, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Salt Lake City, UT would need about $107,900 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $1,456 in Salt Lake City, UT. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 23% in Salt Lake City, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,998 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Salt Lake City, UT to Washington, DC ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.0% in real buying power.
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Salt Lake City, UT | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,947 in Washington | $92,638 in Salt Lake City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,456/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,240 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salt Lake City-Murray, UT and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salt Lake City | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.3 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salt Lake City, UT → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,998/yr.
34 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,998/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salt Lake City, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Salt Lake City, UT to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salt Lake City, UT | Washington, DC | Real change, Salt Lake City → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salt Lake City, UT | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Salt Lake City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,920 | $79,470 | $73,619 (−5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $154,930 | $143,524 (+10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $102,140 | $94,620 (+15.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $102,710 | $95,149 (+10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.