same $100k income, fresh start from Salt Lake City
changea dispatch from
seattle
WA
47.61°N
122.33°W
Seattle is coffee snobs, ferries crossing the sound, mountains in two directions, and misty mornings that make the espresso taste better. Pike Place still throws fish, the salmon is genuinely better here, and the Cascades sit right outside your window like a movie backdrop. The hippie greenmarket soul still runs through everything the tech money has built. Bring layers.
in our guides
of 10
Most walkable cities in America
read the guideof 10
Best cities for health and wellness
read the guideof 10
Most livable cities in America
read the guideof 10
Best cities for mild four-season weather
read the guideof 10
Best cities in states with no income tax
read the guideof 10
Best places to move in 2026
read the guideof 10
Best cities for parks and green space
read the guideof 10
Best cities for work-life balance
read the guideof 10
Best cities for a $150k salary
read the guideof 10
Best cities for a $200k salary
read the guideof 10
Best cities for outdoor athletes
read the guideof 10
Best cities for cyclists
read the guideof 10
Best cities for dog owners
read the guideof 10
Best cities in the Pacific Northwest
read the guideof 10
Best cities to live in your 30s
read the guidethe verdict
more expensive each month than Salt Lake City
Almost a wash on cost. The case for Seattle is about what you'd do there, not what you'd save.
a quick ledger.
$2,193/mo
36% more expensive than Salt Lake City(vs $1,608/mo)
0%
$387/mo less in state tax than Salt Lake City
vs 4.65% in Salt Lake City
$6,140/mo
$198 less than Salt Lake City
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$791k
36% more expensive than Salt Lake City
vs $584k in Salt Lake City
4.0M
vs 1.3M in Salt Lake City
field notes, weather & such.
182
pleasant days a year, in seattle.
Salt Lake City barely cracks 168 pleasant ones.
A real upgrade on things to do: 4.1× Salt Lake City's pace.
93/100
19% higher than Salt Lake City
vs 78/100 in Salt Lake City
Closest outdoor draw: Mount Rainier National Park, 59.8 mi.
98/100
23% higher than Salt Lake City
vs 80/100 in Salt Lake City
90
0% fewer than Salt Lake City
vs 90 nonstops in Salt Lake City
cities that play in seattle's register:
