West ranking
20 Utah cities ranked by cost of living, cheapest first.
Index 93
Index 108
Sorted by cost-of-living index — lowest (most affordable) first.
| # | City | Cost index | Median rent | Median income | Population | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Logan | 93 | $976/mo | $52,473 | 53K | Compare → |
| 2 | St. George | 97 | $1,335/mo | $69,333 | 96K | Compare → |
| 3 | Provo | 99 | $1,089/mo | $57,943 | 114K | Compare → |
| 4 | Orem | 99 | $1,290/mo | $77,568 | 97K | Compare → |
| 5 | Lehi | 101 | $1,681/mo | $117,243 | 77K | Compare → |
| 6 | Eagle Mountain | 101 | $1,740/mo | $100,837 | 46K | Compare → |
| 7 | Ogden | 104 | $1,056/mo | $66,226 | 87K | Compare → |
| 8 | Layton | 105 | $1,314/mo | $93,453 | 82K | Compare → |
| 9 | Bountiful | 106 | $1,410/mo | $96,060 | 45K | Compare → |
| 10 | Riverton | 106 | $1,665/mo | $115,869 | 45K | Compare → |
| 11 | Herriman | 106 | $1,702/mo | $115,198 | 55K | Compare → |
| 12 | Draper | 107 | $1,735/mo | $126,041 | 51K | Compare → |
| 13 | Salt Lake City | 107 | $1,254/mo | $72,357 | 201K | Compare → |
| 14 | Taylorsville | 107 | $1,345/mo | $81,417 | 60K | Compare → |
| 15 | Millcreek | 107 | $1,351/mo | $88,186 | 64K | Compare → |
| 16 | West Valley City | 107 | $1,360/mo | $81,719 | 139K | Compare → |
| 17 | Murray | 107 | $1,376/mo | $81,693 | 50K | Compare → |
| 18 | West Jordan | 107 | $1,489/mo | $99,002 | 116K | Compare → |
| 19 | Sandy | 108 | $1,640/mo | $108,165 | 96K | Compare → |
| 20 | South Jordan | 108 | $1,679/mo | $119,822 | 78K | Compare → |
Why do people move to Utah? The most common reasons line up with what the data and geography support: utah pays better than the typical state, a wide range of city sizes and styles, plus 2 more. The rest is below.
Median household income across Utah cities averages about $91,030 — a step above the US median of around $75k. Not a uniformly high-wage state, but the labor market here pays more than most of the country.
We track 20 Utah cities with full cost data, ranging from small towns to major metros. That means you can actually pick a fit — urban density vs. small-town quiet, expensive vs. cheap, big-job-market vs. easier-commute — instead of having "the state's one big city" be your only option.
Utah's geography is dominated by real mountain terrain — the kind that supports ski resorts in winter and serious hiking and trail networks the rest of the year. Outdoor life is a defining piece of how the state is lived, not a thing you have to drive eight hours to access.
Utah has the full four-season rotation, with winters that are cold enough to matter — meaning real snow, real ski resorts, and a culture that's built around it instead of pretending it isn't happening. If winter is a thing you actively like, this is the side of the country to be on.
Reasons reflect aggregated city data for Utah (Census ACS, BLS, BEA) plus well-known state-level geography. We only list points that are actually supported — different states show different sections.
Across Utah, Logan is the most affordable city we track (cost index 93, with median rent around $976/mo), while South Jordan sits at the top of the range with an index of 108—roughly 16% pricier than Logan. Use the table above to compare any Utah city directly against Logan.
The other end of the ranking — priciest first.