Cost of Living · Alaska

Anchorage Cost of Living

Anchorage, Alaska costs approximately 20.0% above the US national average. Compare with 49 other major US cities.

1.20×

cost-of-living index (1.00 = US national average)

Anchorage ranks 1 of 1 cities in Alaska by cost of living.

Cities MORE expensive than Anchorage (8)

San Francisco, CA

+20.8% more expensive

+12.5% more expensive

New York City, NY

+10.0% more expensive

+8.3% more expensive

+8.3% more expensive

Los Angeles, CA

+1.7% more expensive

+1.7% more expensive

+0.8% more expensive

Cities CHEAPER than Anchorage (90)

−1.7% cheaper

−1.7% cheaper

−1.7% cheaper

−1.7% cheaper

Chula Vista, CA

−4.2% cheaper

−6.7% cheaper

−8.3% cheaper

−8.3% cheaper

−8.3% cheaper

−8.3% cheaper

−10.0% cheaper

−12.5% cheaper

−12.5% cheaper

−12.5% cheaper

−12.5% cheaper

−12.5% cheaper

−12.5% cheaper

−12.5% cheaper

−13.3% cheaper

Minneapolis, MN

−13.3% cheaper

−13.3% cheaper

−13.3% cheaper

−15.0% cheaper

Philadelphia, PA

−15.0% cheaper

−15.0% cheaper

−15.0% cheaper

−15.0% cheaper

−15.0% cheaper

−15.0% cheaper

−15.0% cheaper

Salt Lake City, UT

−15.0% cheaper

−15.8% cheaper

−16.7% cheaper

−16.7% cheaper

Virginia Beach, VA

−16.7% cheaper

−16.7% cheaper

−16.7% cheaper

North Las Vegas, NV

−16.7% cheaper

−16.7% cheaper

−16.7% cheaper

−16.7% cheaper

−17.5% cheaper

−17.5% cheaper

Colorado Springs, CO

−17.5% cheaper

Bakersfield, CA

−17.5% cheaper

St. Petersburg, FL

−17.5% cheaper

−17.5% cheaper

−18.3% cheaper

Jacksonville, FL

−19.2% cheaper

−19.2% cheaper

−19.2% cheaper

−20.0% cheaper

−20.0% cheaper

−20.0% cheaper

−20.0% cheaper

−20.0% cheaper

−20.0% cheaper

−20.8% cheaper

−20.8% cheaper

Tallahassee, FL

−20.8% cheaper

−21.7% cheaper

Albuquerque, NM

−21.7% cheaper

New Orleans, LA

−21.7% cheaper

San Antonio, TX

−22.5% cheaper

Grand Rapids, MI

−22.5% cheaper

−23.3% cheaper

−23.3% cheaper

−23.3% cheaper

Kansas City, MO

−23.3% cheaper

−23.3% cheaper

Corpus Christi, TX

−23.3% cheaper

−23.3% cheaper

−23.3% cheaper

−23.3% cheaper

−24.2% cheaper

−24.2% cheaper

−24.2% cheaper

Winston-Salem, NC

−24.2% cheaper

Indianapolis, IN

−25.0% cheaper

−25.0% cheaper

−25.0% cheaper

−25.8% cheaper

Oklahoma City, OK

−25.8% cheaper

−25.8% cheaper

−26.7% cheaper

−26.7% cheaper

−26.7% cheaper

−28.3% cheaper

−28.3% cheaper

−28.3% cheaper

Anchorage cost of living, in context

With a cost-of-living index of 1.20× the US national average, Anchorage sits above the typical American cost baseline. 8 of the 49 other major US cities we track cost more, while 90 cost less.

What drives the index: housing dominates (typically 30-40% of household budget), followed by transportation (~15%), food (~10%), healthcare (~10%), and utilities/services. Anchorage's premium reflects high housing costs in particular — coastal proximity, employer concentration, and supply constraints all push prices.

Salary in Anchorage

Salaries in Anchorage typically scale with the cost-of-living index. A professional earning $X in a national-average metro would expect approximately $120K for the same role in Anchorage. See our salary by job in Anchorage pages for specific role estimates across 50 jobs.

Related tools

Anchorage Paycheck Calculator — exact take-home with city/state taxes. Anchorage salary by job — 50 jobs. Inflation Calculator — purchasing power over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the cost of living index for Anchorage?▾

Anchorage's cost-of-living index is 1.20× US average — meaning living costs are approximately 20.0% above the national average. Major drivers: housing, taxes, transportation. Index based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Is Anchorage expensive to live in?▾

Yes — Anchorage is among the more expensive US cities, with costs ~20.0% above national average. Housing is typically the dominant factor.

What salary do I need to live in Anchorage?▾

Living comfortably in Anchorage typically requires income matching the local cost-of-living multiplier × what you'd need elsewhere. For a "moderate" lifestyle: household income of $60K+ is often suggested. Use our salary by city pages for job-specific estimates.

How does Anchorage compare within Alaska?▾

Anchorage ranks 1 of 1 cities we track in Alaska by cost of living. Within-state variation can be significant — major metros typically cost more than smaller cities or rural areas.

Where does this index come from?▾

BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — published annually by the US Bureau of Economic Analysis. Reflects cost differences for the same basket of goods/services across metros. Useful baseline; specific items (housing, dining out) can vary much more than the overall index suggests.