Purchasing Power
#13
of 124 cities
#13 of 124
North America
Salt Lake City
UT, United States
Salary & Cost of Living
How do salaries and expenses in Salt Lake City compare to Istanbul?
Purchasing Power Comparison
An engineer in Salt Lake City is 169% better off vs in Istanbul
This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Salt Lake City compared to Istanbul, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.
Net Salary
$90,712
+$70K (+328%) vs Istanbul
Tax Rate: 33%
Community Insights
NewSalt Lake City presents a compelling value proposition for software engineers: high purchasing power and accessible home ownership paired with immediate access to world-class nature. The "Silicon Slopes" offer a legitimate tech ecosystem, primarily in B2B software, allowing for career growth without the cutthroat competition of the Bay Area. However, the city requires a significant lifestyle adjustment. The winter air quality (inversion) is a genuine health concern, and the unique cultural landscape influenced by the LDS church affects everything from dating to nightlife. It is a city that acts as a fantastic basecamp for outdoor adventures but may feel socially limiting for those seeking a vibrant urban metropolis.
Resident Sentiment
Transplants generally report a high level of satisfaction with the lifestyle, frequently citing that they "came for the winter but stayed for the summer." Residents love that they can finish work and be on a mountain trail within minutes. However, a common theme among non-LDS transplants is a sense of social friction; they often have to work harder to find their "tribe." Long-term residents express growing frustration with rising home prices (even if they remain low nationally) and overcrowding in the canyons, suggesting the secret is out.
The Good
Rankings
Top 10%
Home Affordability
#16
of 124 cities
≈3.1 yrs to buy 80m²
Current value
Net Income
#25
of 124 cities
$90,712/yr
Current value
Housing Affordability
How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Salt Lake City compared to Istanbul?
Avg. Property Price
$3,484 / m²
49% more expensive than Istanbul
Salary Converter
Enter your annual gross salary (before taxes) to see what you would need to earn in Salt Lake City to maintain the same standard of living.
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