City comparison
Durham, NC vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 3.4% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $103,400 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Durham, NC and $1,456 in Salt Lake City, UT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,534 in UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Salt Lake City, UT ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.4% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Durham, NC | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,378 in Salt Lake City | $96,732 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$53/yr.
59 Fair offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$53/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Durham → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $77,920 | $75,374 (+46.6%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $129,600 | $125,365 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $82,100 | $79,417 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $85,890 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.