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Salt Lake City
#12 of 124
North America

Salt Lake City

UT, United States

Salary & Cost of Living

View purchasing power ranking

How do salaries and expenses in Salt Lake City compare to San Francisco?

Purchasing Power Comparison

An engineer in Salt Lake City is 15% worse off vs in San Francisco

This shows how far a software engineer's salary goes in Salt Lake City compared to San Francisco, taking into account both salary differences and cost of living.

Median Salary
$136,000
-$136K (-50%) vs San Francisco
Based on 421 data points from levels.fyi
Net Salary
$90,712
-$82K (-47%) vs San Francisco
Tax Rate: 33%

Community Insights

New

Salt 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

Living Environment

Weather•Safety•Pollution•Events

A quick look at climate, safety, pollution, and tech community compared to San Francisco.

Rankings

Purchasing Power

Top 10%

#12

of 124 cities

Home Affordability

Top 13%

#16

of 124 cities

≈3.1 yrs to buy 80m²

Current value

Net Income

Top 20%

#25

of 124 cities

$90,712/yr

Current value

Housing Affordability

View affordability ranking

How affordable is housing for a software engineer in Salt Lake City compared to San Francisco?

Avg. Property Price
$3,484 / m²
65% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed property prices on Numbeo

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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Do you have kids?

Cost of Living
38% cheaper than San Francisco
View detailed cost breakdown on Numbeo

Top Paying Companies in Salt Lake City

Adobe logo
Adobe
Qualtrics logo
Qualtrics
Fidelity Investments logo
Fidelity Investments
  • World-class outdoor access with ski resorts, hiking, and climbing often less than 30 minutes from the office.
  • Strong housing affordability for high earners; rankings show it is significantly easier to buy a home here compared to other major tech hubs.
  • A growing tech hub known as Silicon Slopes (Lehi/SLC area) offers a dense concentration of B2B SaaS and startup opportunities.
  • High purchasing power; local salaries go much further due to lower taxes and living costs compared to coastal cities.
  • Family-friendly environment with generally safe neighborhoods and a culture heavily focused on community and family life.
  • Salt Lake City itself is progressively counter-cultural to the rest of the state, offering coffee shops, breweries, and a more liberal vibe downtown.

The Bad

  • Severe winter inversion traps smog in the valley, leading to periods of extremely poor air quality that can persist for days or weeks.
  • Dating difficulties for non-religious residents, particularly for those in their 30s, as the pool is smaller and culturally split.
  • Restrictive liquor laws and a lack of nightlife options can be frustrating for those accustomed to the social scenes of NYC or SF.
  • The cultural influence of the LDS church permeates local politics and social circles, which can make some transplants feel like outsiders.
  • Summer heat waves are intense, with temperatures frequently exceeding comfortable levels, though dry heat is often preferred over humidity.
  • Limited cultural diversity compared to larger metros, leading to a more homogenous food and arts scene.

The Verdict

You'll love it if...

Software engineers who prioritize outdoor recreation above all else—skiers, climbers, and hikers will find no better major tech hub. It is also ideal for young families looking to buy a home and settle down in a safe, affordable environment, or fiscally conservative professionals wanting to maximize their savings rate and net income.

Skip it if...

Singles in their late 20s or 30s who view nightlife and dating as primary priorities will likely struggle here. Individuals with respiratory issues should avoid the city due to the winter inversion. Additionally, those who rely on a diverse, high-energy urban hustle—like that of New York or London—will likely find SLC too quiet and culturally homogenous.

Updated 11/29/2025

Weather4.6/10-47% vs San Francisco
Safety64+63%
Pollution63+27%
Events7-86%
4.6/10TechCities weather score vs 8.7/10 in San Francisco

0–10 composite (higher is better) combining temperature comfort, sunshine hours, rainy-day count, and humid days. See methodology for weighting and data sources.

Weather snapshot

Average High
18°C(vs 19°C in San Francisco)
Average Low
7°C(vs 12°C in San Francisco)
Sunshine Hours
3,029h/yr-32h/yr
Hottest Month High
33°C(vs 22°C in San Francisco)
Coldest Month Low
-5°C(vs 8°C in San Francisco)
Rainy Days
58/yr+9/yr(+19%)

Community & Quality

Salt Lake City community pulse

Salt Lake City has 7 Luma events listed.

86% fewer events than San Francisco.

Safety Index

Middle of the pack

#44

of 124 cities

64.2/100

Current value

Community Events

Middle of the pack

#51

of 124 cities

7 events on luma

Current value

Comfortable Weather

Middle of the pack

#53

of 124 cities

46/100 weather score

Current value

Cost of Living

Middle of the pack

#72

of 124 cities

55/100

Current value (lower is better)

Tax Rate

Middle of the pack

#80

of 124 cities

33%

Current value (lower is better)

Pollution Score

Bottom 29%

#89

of 124 cities

62.6/100

Current value (lower is better)

SWE Affordability
3.1 years
1.6 years quicker than San Francisco
Muggy Days
0/yr(same as San Francisco)
Cloud Cover
38%(vs 34% in San Francisco)