Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salt Lake City, UT and Indianapolis, IN

For one person, living costs are similar in Salt Lake City, UT and in Indianapolis, IN: $2,701 and $2,785 a month, rent and utilities included.

131

Cost of Living Index in Salt Lake City, UT
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Salt Lake City, UT Living Index
134

Cost of Living Index in Indianapolis, IN
Learn more

Indianapolis, IN Living Index

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Salt Lake City, UT

🇺🇸 United States

$2,701

/mo nomad

Indianapolis, IN

🇺🇸 United States

$2,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salt Lake City, UT and in Indianapolis, IN

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Salt Lake City, UT and in Indianapolis, IN actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,701 in Salt Lake City, UT versus $2,785 in Indianapolis, IN.

Salt Lake City, UT $2,701
Indianapolis, IN $2,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,887 in Salt Lake City, UT versus $3,948 in Indianapolis, IN.

Salt Lake City, UT $3,887
Indianapolis, IN $3,948

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,074 in Salt Lake City, UT versus $5,111 in Indianapolis, IN.

Salt Lake City, UT $5,074
Indianapolis, IN $5,111

Living in Salt Lake City, UT costs roughly 3% less than in Indianapolis, IN, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salt Lake City, UT 100% above, Indianapolis, IN 106% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.33 $18.33

$20.31 $20.31

-9.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.4 $72.4

$80.8 $80.8

-10.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.07 $10.07

$11.83 $11.83

-14.88%

Cappuccino

$5.01 $5.01

$5.68 $5.68

-11.80%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 $2.25

$3.25 $3.25

-30.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.68 $2.68

-35.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.91 $5.91

$6.35 $6.35

-6.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$7.87 $7.87

0.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.89 $0.89

$0.90 $0.90

-1.11%

White Bread (500g)

$3.79 $3.79

$3.39 $3.39

11.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$4.67 $4.67

-10.06%

Eggs

$4.19 $4.19

$3.61 $3.61

16.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.98 $11.98

$12.53 $12.53

-4.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.05 $12.05

$12.77 $12.77

-5.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.00 $17.00

$16.96 $16.96

0.24%

Apples (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$5.49 $5.49

-26.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.47 $1.47

-2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$4.94 $4.94

-24.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.35 $4.35

-11.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.40 $2.40

-7.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$2.97 $2.97

-17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.42 $2.42

-22.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.49 $2.49

-25.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.02 $10.02

$10.24 $10.24

-2.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.75 $14.75

$15.47 $15.47

-4.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.06 $2.06

28.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.47 $3.47

-6.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.77 $1.77

43.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$86.5 $86.5

$59.5 $59.5

45.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.48 $2.48

$1.99 $1.99

24.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.75 $1.75

34.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.86 $24.86

$33.33 $33.33

-25.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$0.98 $0.98

17.35%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.4K $36.4K

$37.1K $37.1K

-2.03%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.7K $25.7K

-0.33%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$192 $192

$232 $232

-17.30%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$49.40 $49.40

$61.3 $61.3

-19.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.7 $78.7

$63.6 $63.6

23.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.13 $35.13

$39.74 $39.74

-11.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.90 $26.90

$41.13 $41.13

-34.60%

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$15.09 $15.09

-0.46%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,282 $1,282

$1,756 $1,756

-26.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K $20.7K

$24.6K $24.6K

-15.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.4 $72.4

$57.8 $57.8

25.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.19 $46.19

$44.68 $44.68

3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

-0.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$145 $145

-24.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,668 $1,668

$1,732 $1,732

-3.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,373 $1,373

$1,376 $1,376

-0.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,887 $2,887

$2,681 $2,681

7.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,149 $2,149

$1,985 $1,985

8.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,211 $4,211

$2,787 $2,787

51.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,939 $2,939

$1,865 $1,865

57.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,197 $4,197

$4,595 $4,595

-8.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.46

6.57

-1.67%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Salt Lake City, UT: October 11, 2026

Last update for Indianapolis, IN: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Salt Lake City, UT

$1.4K 50.9%

Indianapolis, IN

$1.4K 49.4% 0.2% $2.8

Groceries & Markets

Salt Lake City, UT

$381 14.1%

Indianapolis, IN

$407 14.6% 6.8% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salt Lake City, UT

$320 11.8%

Indianapolis, IN

$357 12.8% 11.5% $37

Eating Out

Salt Lake City, UT

$298 11%

Indianapolis, IN

$337 12.1% 13.1% $39

Clothing & Footwear

Salt Lake City, UT

$152 5.6%

Indianapolis, IN

$161 5.8% 5.8% $8.8

Getting Around

Salt Lake City, UT

$111 4.1%

Indianapolis, IN

$77 2.8% 30.3% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Salt Lake City, UT

$65 2.4%

Indianapolis, IN

$70 2.5% 7.3% $4.7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,668 in Salt Lake City, UT and $1,732 in Indianapolis, IN. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Indianapolis, IN pays 9% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $72.0 in Salt Lake City, UT vs $81.0 in Indianapolis, IN for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $381 vs $407 per month, with Salt Lake City, UT cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Salt Lake City, UT

🇺🇸 Indianapolis, IN

🕒 Local time

17:28 5:28 PM

19:28 7:28 PM

2 h ahead of Salt Lake City, UT

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

200,133

882,039

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Salt Lake City, UT Indianapolis, IN 2,180 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Salt Lake City, UT
Indianapolis, IN

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Salt Lake City, UT vs Indianapolis, IN: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salt Lake City, UT wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Indianapolis, IN. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Salt Lake City, UT the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 9% lower in Indianapolis, IN. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,668 in Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,732 in Indianapolis, IN. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Salt Lake City, UT – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $81.0 in Indianapolis, IN. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $2,701 per month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $2,785 in Indianapolis, IN – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Salt Lake City, UT is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Salt Lake City, UT delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,701 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Salt Lake City, UT hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Salt Lake City, UT and Indianapolis, IN are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Salt Lake City, UT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Indianapolis, IN. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.