

Moving from Salt Lake City to Ames
Moving from Salt Lake City to Ames: −$152/mo after tax & rent
Salt Lake CityAmesAbout 1,002 miles apart, a flight.
- Ames costs you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- Real winters
$2,399/mo in Ames. $2,551/mo in Salt Lake City. −$1,824 a year.
Salt Lake City
$2,551
left each month
Ames
$2,399
−$152 vs Salt Lake City
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Who already made this move
The IRS did not publish a large enough Salt Lake City → Ames pair for 2022-2023. That usually means fewer than a few dozen tax returns, not that nobody moved.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
See full breakdown
| Per month | Salt Lake City | Ames |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home | $5,771 | $4,875 |
| Rent | $1,265 | $760 |
| All other costs | $1,955 | $1,716 |
| Left over | $2,551 | $2,399 |
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Salt Lake City and Ames changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
What the move itself costs
About 1,203 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $2,900–$5,450
- Container or pod
- $2,050–$3,850
- Rent a truck
- $1,150–$2,150
Explore more
Other moves from Salt Lake City
Dig into Ames
Questions
Is Ames cheaper than Salt Lake City after tax and rent?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Ames leaves about $152 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,265 in Salt Lake City and $760 in Ames.
Does Ames have state income tax?
Ames is in Iowa, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Salt Lake City to Ames?
Yes, when the IRS published that flow. The count and their average income are on this page. Leftover prices the same household in both cities.