Moving to Utah from Washington

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Washington to Utah? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Washington to Utah, you would find that Utah is 13.9% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $65,360 in Utah to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Washington and Utah.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $65,360

To maintain the same standard of living in Utah

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 12.6% less

Groceries

pay 13.1% less

Transportation

pay 4.9% less

Housing

pay 12.2% less

Childcare

pay 39.4% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 17.0% 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

The numbers behind daily life in Utah compared to Washington.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WA
349
UT
224
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

WA
2819
UT
1576

Utah performs significantly better than Washington across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

WA
6.1%
UT
8.1%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

WA
31.1%
UT
32.3%

Washington 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

WA
$519,800
UT
$455,000
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

WA
$1,682
UT
$1,405

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

WA
93.1%
UT
92.9%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

WA
27 min
UT
22 min

Washington 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

WA
5.3%
UT
3.5%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

WA
$87,768
UT
$66,207

Washington 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

WA
79.2 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

WA
26%
UT
21%

Washington 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.

OlympiaRain: 50.0 in/yr (1270 mm)
60°/41°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsOlympiaSalt Lake City
Jan–Mar50°/34°F (10°/1°C)45°/27°F (7°/-3°C)
Apr–Jun65°/43°F (18°/6°C)72°/48°F (22°/9°C)
Jul–Sep76°/49°F (24°/10°C)87°/60°F (31°/16°C)
Oct–Dec51°/36°F (11°/2°C)51°/32°F (10°/0°C)
View all months
MonthOlympiaSalt Lake City
Jan46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C)37°/22°F (3.0°/-5.8°C)
Feb49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C)43°/25°F (6.2°/-3.8°C)
Mar54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C)54°/34°F (12.1°/0.9°C)
Apr59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C)62°/40°F (16.4°/4.2°C)
May65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C)72°/48°F (22.2°/8.8°C)
Jun71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C)83°/56°F (28.3°/13.6°C)
Jul77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C)93°/65°F (33.7°/18.2°C)
Aug78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C)90°/63°F (32.5°/17.4°C)
Sep72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C)79°/53°F (26.2°/11.7°C)
Oct60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C)65°/41°F (18.2°/5.2°C)
Nov50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C)49°/31°F (9.7°/-0.8°C)
Dec44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°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 Washington?

On average Utah is about 13% less expensive than Washington, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Utah?

Budget about $16,340 for 3 months in Utah (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Utah safe?

Utah performs significantly better than Washington across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Utah compared to Washington?

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

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

The average high temperature in Salt Lake City is 64°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Salt Lake City receives around 16.1 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.

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