City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 3.9% higher than in Salt Lake City, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Salt Lake City, UT would need about $103,900 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN and $1,456 in Salt Lake City, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,743 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Salt Lake City, UT ($116,038 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.7% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,228 in Salt Lake City | $103,920 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,456/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $55,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,743/yr.
81 Strong offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,743/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Salt Lake City, UT is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Minneapolis → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $61,722 | −4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $74,678 | −4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $89,508 | −4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $106,437 | −4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $125,776 | −4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $77,920 | $80,974 (+1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $129,600 | $134,680 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $82,100 | $85,318 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $85,890 | $89,257 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.