Moving to Utah from Colorado

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Colorado to Utah — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Colorado to Utah, you would find that Utah is 12.7% cheaper than Colorado. A $75,000 salary in Colorado would need to be roughly $64,026 in Utah to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Colorado to Utah.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $64,026

To maintain the same standard of living in Utah

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 15.1% less

Groceries

pay 8.9% less

Transportation

pay 1.9% less

Housing

pay 16.1% less

Childcare

pay 25.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 14.2% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Colorado to Utah.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CO
463
UT
224
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CO
2814
UT
1576

Utah performs significantly better than Colorado across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

CO
7.3%
UT
8.1%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

CO
26.3%
UT
32.3%

Colorado generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Utah leads in adult smoking rate.

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

CO
$502,200
UT
$455,000
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

CO
$1,693
UT
$1,405

Utah performs significantly better than Colorado across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

CO
92.9%
UT
92.9%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

CO
26 min
UT
22 min

Colorado generally does better on infrastructure, though Utah leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CO
3.6%
UT
3.5%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CO
$74,650
UT
$66,207

Colorado generally does better on employment & economy, though Utah leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

CO
78.3 yrs
UT
78.6 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

CO
30%
UT
21%

Colorado generally does better on family life, though Utah leads in life expectancy.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

DenverRain: 14.3 in/yr (363 mm)
65°/36°F

Avg. annual high / low

Salt Lake CityRain: 16.1 in/yr (409 mm)
64°/42°F

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsDenverSalt Lake City
Jan–Mar48°/21°F (9°/-6°C)45°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun72°/43°F (22°/6°C)72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep85°/55°F (29°/13°C)87°/60°F (31°/16°C)
Oct–Dec53°/26°F (12°/-3°C)51°/32°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
MonthDenverSalt Lake City
Jan44°/17°F (6.7°/-8.1°C)37°/22°F (3.0°/-5.8°C)
Feb46°/19°F (7.9°/-7.3°C)43°/25°F (6.2°/-3.8°C)
Mar54°/26°F (12.4°/-3.1°C)54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Apr62°/33°F (16.4°/0.7°C)62°/40°F (16.4°/4.2°C)
May71°/43°F (21.9°/5.9°C)72°/48°F (22.2°/8.8°C)
Jun82°/52°F (28.0°/11.3°C)83°/56°F (28.3°/13.6°C)
Jul89°/59°F (31.9°/14.9°C)93°/65°F (33.7°/18.2°C)
Aug87°/58°F (30.7°/14.4°C)90°/63°F (32.5°/17.4°C)
Sep78°/48°F (25.8°/9.1°C)79°/53°F (26.2°/11.7°C)
Oct65°/37°F (18.5°/2.6°C)65°/41°F (18.2°/5.2°C)
Nov52°/24°F (11.2°/-4.2°C)49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.8°C)
Dec43°/17°F (6.0°/-8.3°C)38°/23°F (3.3°/-5.2°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Utah than Colorado?

Yes — Utah is on average about 15% cheaper than Colorado. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Utah?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $16,006 in Utah on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Utah safe?

Utah performs significantly better than Colorado across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Utah compared to Colorado?

Colorado generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Utah leads in adult smoking rate.

What's the weather like in Utah compared to Colorado?

The average high temperature in Salt Lake City is 64°F, compared to 65°F in Denver. Salt Lake City receives around 16.1 in of rainfall per year, while Denver gets 14.3 in.

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