Anchorage, AK Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Anchorage. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Anchorage compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Anchorage, Alaska

Cost of living in Anchorage research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Anchorage is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Alaska, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

130 Cost of living index 1.3x higher vs US
#17 Cheapest in Alaska (of 22)
#4,938 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$410,782 Median home value
$1,489 Median rent
$103,284 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Anchorage, AK?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Anchorage has an overall cost of living index of 130, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Alaska, Anchorage has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Alaska's index of 122.

The standard of living in Anchorage ranks as #17 most affordable out of the 22 places we measured in Alaska. By definition, that implies Anchorage ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Last Frontier.

For more reading on life in Anchorage, check out:

Anchorage Cost Of Living Vs. Alaska

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Anchorage. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Anchorage is 125.

  • The Groceries index in Anchorage is 113.

  • The Health index in Anchorage is 166.

  • The Housing index in Anchorage is 114.

  • The Transportation index in Anchorage is 124.

  • The Utilities index in Anchorage is 124.

Living Expense Anchorage Alaska National Average
Overall 130 122 100
Services 125 117 100
Groceries 113 112 100
Health 166 137 100
Housing 114 113 100
Transportation 124 125 100
Utilities 124 116 100

Anchorage Cost Of Living Compared To Alaska Averages

Services
Anchorage 125
Alaska avg 117
Groceries
Anchorage 113
Alaska avg 112
Health
Anchorage 166
Alaska avg 137
Housing
Anchorage 114
Alaska avg 113
Transportation
Anchorage 124
Alaska avg 125
Utilities
Anchorage 124
Alaska avg 116

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Alaska, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Anchorage, AK Housing Cost Breakdown

$410,782Median Home Value
$1,489Median Rent
$103,284Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Alaska, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Anchorage is $410,782.

  • The Median Rent in Anchorage is $1,489.

  • The Median Income in Anchorage is $103,284.

  • The Home Value To Income in Anchorage is 4.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Anchorage is 0.17x.

Statistic Anchorage Alaska United States
Median Home Value $410,782 $387,635 $332,700
Median Rent $1,489 $1,419 $1,413
Median Income $103,284 $92,788 $80,734
Home Value To Income 4.0x 4.2x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.18x 0.21x

Anchorage, AK Costs By Category

Detailed Anchorage Services costs vs. Alaska
Item Anchorage Alaska
Shampoo $1.31 $1.28
Movie $13.19 $12.13
Bowling $18.08 $18
Haircut $28.21 $24.26
Beauty Salon $47.27 $45.56
Detailed Anchorage Groceries costs vs. Alaska
Item Anchorage Alaska
Ground Beef $6.62 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.45 $1.57
Milk $5.09 $4.67
Potatoes $5.98 $4.93
Pizza $12.76 $12.09
Beer $13.48 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.81 $3.7
Detailed Anchorage Health costs vs. Alaska
Item Anchorage Alaska
Optometrist $247.07 $125.68
Doctor $215.28 $135.78
Dentist $153.23 $113.29
Detailed Anchorage Transportation costs vs. Alaska
Item Anchorage Alaska
Gasoline $3.93 $3.46
Tire Balancing $65.07 $59.92
Detailed Anchorage Utilities costs vs. Alaska
Item Anchorage Alaska
All Electricity $232.09 $193.99
Phone $189.01 $192.25

Anchorage SnackAbility

6Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 8/10
Housing 8.5/10
Affordability 6/10
Diversity 9.5/10
Safety 3/10
Amenities 8/10
Education 8.5/10
Commute 9/10