($1,446) Movers From Columbia, SC to Salt Lake City, UT

What to know before moving from Columbia to Salt Lake City

Moving from Columbia to Salt Lake City comes with exciting new opportunities — but also higher living costs. Since Salt Lake City is generally more expensive than Columbia, it’s important to plan ahead and budget carefully for the change.

Check out how the two cities compare so you know what to expect before you relocate:

• Rent prices in Salt Lake City are 3% higher than in Columbia, which means you’ll have less money in your pocket each month.
• In terms of homeownership, you’ll be able to get more for your money in Columbia.
  Home prices in Salt Lake City are 149.1% higher than in Columbia.
• Income in Salt Lake City is 1.1% lower than in Columbia, so you could earn less for doing the same job. The top employers in Salt Lake City include Intermountain Healthcare, Alsco, and EnerBank USA.
• Be sure to budget for higher bills in Salt Lake City, since the cost of living for a single person in Salt Lake City is 11.0% higher than in Columbia. This includes routine expenses like utilities, groceries, clothing, and transportation.
• If you’re moving your family to Salt Lake City, keep in mind that your living expenses could increase. The cost of living for a family in Salt Lake City is 12.9% higher than in Columbia.
• The unemployment rate in Salt Lake City is 42.31% lower than in Columbia.
• You’ll spend less on retail and restaurants in Salt Lake City, since the city’s sales taxes in Salt Lake City are 3.13% lower than in Columbia.
• One perk of moving to Salt Lake City is paying less in state income taxes, which are 29.29% lower than in Columbia.

To put this in perspective, you would need around $3,331.29 in Salt Lake City to maintain the same standard of life that you can have with $3,000.00 in Columbia.

How life is different in Columbia vs. Salt Lake City

• The population of Salt Lake City is about 46% greater than Columbia, so you may find more to see and do in your new surroundings. Of course, with more people can also come increased competition for jobs and housing.
• Salt Lake City offers better access to buses and trains than Columbia, based on public transportation ratings. Salt Lake City has a transit score of 8 out of 10 compared to 5 in Columbia. The higher the score, the more public transportation pickup and dropoff locations a city provides.
• Living in Salt Lake City means you’ll likely be within closer walking distance to restaurants, shops, parks, and entertainment than you are in Columbia. Salt Lake City is considered more walkable than Columbia, with a score of 59 out of 100 versus 35 out of 100 in Columbia. A city’s walkability score indicates how pedestrian-friendly it is in terms of proximity of neighborhoods to amenities.
• If cycling is your thing, Salt Lake City is considered more bike-friendly than Columbia in terms of designated lanes and connectivity and how many residents opt to commute on two wheels rather than by car. Salt Lake City has a bike-friendliness score of 74 out of 100, while Columbia is rated as 35 out of 100.
• The crime rate in Salt Lake City is higher than in Columbia, so you may want to exercise a little extra caution as you're acclimating to your new location. While the crime index is 34.64 in Salt Lake City, it is 3.0 in Columbia. With this index, the lower the score, the better, since it indicates a city’s crime levels.
• You might find more confidence in your overall safety in Salt Lake City than in Columbia, based on Salt Lake City’s safety index of 65.36 versus 48.39 for Columbia. With this index, higher scores indicate more safety, particularly around how comfortable residents feel walking alone during the day and at night.
• The air quality in Salt Lake City and Columbia is generally the same (Good). Cities with good to moderate ratings have clean or acceptable air quality, with the possibility of small pollutants affecting people with certain health conditions like asthma. Anything beyond the moderate rate means increased impact on residents.

Other things to consider for your Columbia vs. Salt Lake City move

• Weather: June, September and May are the most pleasant months in Salt Lake City, while January and December are the least comfortable months.
• HOA rules: It’s a good idea to look into your HOA or community regulations before moving day arrives.
• Elevator reservation: If your building has an elevator, it’s a good idea to secure a reservation before your moving day.
• Truck parking permits: To avoid fines or delays, check whether a parking permit is needed for your moving truck.
• State licensing: Although a local license is not required in Utah, make sure the moving company you’ll be hiring is registered with U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). To verify if you’re dealing with a legal and licensed mover, you may ask them their USDOT registration number. Before booking, ensure the moving company is officially licensed to handle your move.
• State regulator: To confirm a moving company’s license in Utah, visit the state's public utilities commission
• Moving permits: While Utah doesn’t mandate moving permits, checking local parking guidelines before your move-in day is still a good idea.
• Change of address: We recommend submitting your USPS change of address form at least one week before your move to ensure your mail gets forwarded to Salt Lake City without delay. You can select your official move date when completing the form. Start the process here.
• Moving company insurance: Every state sets its own rules for what insurance moving companies need to maintain. In Utah, movers commonly offer Released Value Protection at no extra cost, providing coverage at 60 cents per pound. To increase protection, consider discussing Full Value Protection options with the moving company.
• Moving checklist: Our moving checklist gives you the peace of mind that comes with being fully prepared.

Where to live in Salt Lake City

With your sights set on "Crossroads of the West", these are some of the most popular neighborhoods to consider in Salt Lake City.

Helpful moving resources