Moving to Utah from Oregon

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Oregon to Utah, you would find that Utah is 2.0% cheaper than Oregon. A $75,000 salary in Oregon would need to be roughly $73,937 in Utah to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $73,937

To maintain the same standard of living in Utah

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 6.2% less

Groceries

pay 3.2% less

Transportation

pay 4.0% more

Housing

pay 3.0% less

Childcare

pay 6.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.6% 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 Oregon to Utah.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OR
323
UT
224
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OR
2566
UT
1576

Utah performs significantly better than Oregon across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

OR
6.1%
UT
8.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

OR
31.9%
UT
32.3%

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

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

OR
$454,200
UT
$455,000
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

OR
$1,450
UT
$1,405

Utah generally does better on what about housing?, though Oregon leads in median home value.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

OR
91.8%
UT
92.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

OR
23 min
UT
22 min

Utah performs significantly better than Oregon across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

OR
5.1%
UT
3.5%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

OR
$61,622
UT
$66,207

Utah performs significantly better than Oregon across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

OR
78.8 yrs
UT
78.6 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

OR
26%
UT
21%

Oregon performs better than Utah across all family life metrics.

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.

Salem Rain: 39.7 in/yr (1008 mm)
64° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Salem Salt Lake City
Jan–Mar 52°/36°F (11°/2°C) 45°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/45°F (20°/7°C) 72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep 80°/51°F (27°/11°C) 87°/60°F (31°/16°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/38°F (12°/3°C) 51°/32°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
Month Salem Salt Lake City
Jan 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C) 37°/22°F (3.0°/-5.8°C)
Feb 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C) 43°/25°F (6.2°/-3.8°C)
Mar 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C) 54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Apr 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C) 62°/40°F (16.4°/4.2°C)
May 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C) 72°/48°F (22.2°/8.8°C)
Jun 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C) 83°/56°F (28.3°/13.6°C)
Jul 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C) 93°/65°F (33.7°/18.2°C)
Aug 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C) 90°/63°F (32.5°/17.4°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C) 79°/53°F (26.2°/11.7°C)
Oct 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C) 65°/41°F (18.2°/5.2°C)
Nov 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C) 49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.8°C)
Dec 46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°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 Oregon?

Costs in Utah and Oregon are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to Utah?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $18,484 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 Oregon across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Utah compared to Oregon?

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

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

The average high temperature in Salt Lake City is 64°F, compared to 64°F in Salem. Salt Lake City receives around 16.1 in of rainfall per year, while Salem gets 39.7 in.

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