Bethel, AK Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Bethel, AK Summary

Cost of living in Bethel 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 Bethel 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:

  • The cost of living index in Bethel is 129, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Bethel is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Bethel ranks as the #12 cheapest in Alaska out of 22.

  • Bethel ranks as the #4,942 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Bethel is $402,984.

  • The median income in Bethel is $109,718.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
129
Bethel's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Bethel, AK?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Bethel has an overall cost of living index of 129, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Alaska, Bethel has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Alaska's index of 131.

The standard of living in Bethel ranks as #12 most affordable out of the 22 places we measured in Alaska. By definition, that implies Bethel ranks as the #10 most expensive place in the Last Frontier.

For more reading on life in Bethel, check out:

12 out of 22
In Alaska
4,942 out of 6,489
In America

Bethel Cost Of Living Vs. Alaska

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

  • The Services index in Bethel is 118.

  • The Groceries index in Bethel is 123.

  • The Health index in Bethel is 141.

  • The Housing index in Bethel is 157.

  • The Transportation index in Bethel is 114.

  • The Utilities index in Bethel is 112.

Living Expense Bethel Alaska National Average
Overall 129 131 100
Services 118 120 100
Groceries 123 123 100
Health 141 150 100
Housing 157 136 100
Transportation 114 116 100
Utilities 112 158 100
For more reading on cost of living around Alaska, check out:
Bethel Cost of Living Vs. AK

Bethel, AK Housing Cost Breakdown

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 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Bethel is $402,984.

  • The Median Rent in Bethel is $1,657.

  • The Median Income in Bethel is $109,718.

  • The Home Value To Income in Bethel is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Bethel is 0.18x.

Statistic Bethel Alaska United States
Median Home Value $402,984 $378,991 $303,400
Median Rent $1,657 $1,388 $1,348
Median Income $109,718 $89,336 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.7x 4.2x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.19x 0.21x
$402,984
Median Home Value
$1,657
Median Rent
$109,718
Median Income

Bethel, AK Costs By Category

Detailed Bethel Services Costs Vs. Alaska

Item Bethel 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 Bethel Groceries Costs Vs. Alaska

Item Bethel 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 Bethel Health Costs Vs. Alaska

Item Bethel Alaska
Optometrist $247.07 $125.68
Doctor $215.28 $135.78
Dentist $153.23 $113.29

Detailed Bethel Transportation Costs Vs. Alaska

Item Bethel Alaska
Gasoline $3.93 $3.46
Tire Balancing $65.07 $59.92

Detailed Bethel Utilities Costs Vs. Alaska

Item Bethel Alaska
All Electricity $232.09 $193.99
Phone $189.01 $192.25

Bethel SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
6
Amenities
6
Education
8
Commute
10

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