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College, AK Cost Of Living

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

Chris Kolmar
Written by
HomeSnacks
Last updated
2026-06-20

Cost of living in College, Alaska

Cost of living in College 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 College 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:

123 Cost of living index 1.2x higher vs US
#10 Cheapest in Alaska (of 22)
#4,534 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$326,782 Median home value
$1,454 Median rent
$83,895 Median income
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What is the cost of living in College, AK?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, College has an overall cost of living index of 123, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Alaska, College has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Alaska's index of 122.

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

For more reading on life in College, check out:

College Cost Of Living Vs. Alaska

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

  • The Services index in College is 119.

  • The Groceries index in College is 107.

  • The Health index in College is 134.

  • The Housing index in College is 110.

  • The Transportation index in College is 122.

  • The Utilities index in College is 117.

Living Expense College Alaska National Average
Overall 123 122 100
Services 119 117 100
Groceries 107 112 100
Health 134 137 100
Housing 110 113 100
Transportation 122 125 100
Utilities 117 116 100

College Cost Of Living Compared To Alaska Averages

Services
College 119
Alaska avg 117
Groceries
College 107
Alaska avg 112
Health
College 134
Alaska avg 137
Housing
College 110
Alaska avg 113
Transportation
College 122
Alaska avg 125
Utilities
College 117
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

College, AK Housing Cost Breakdown

$326,782Median Home Value
$1,454Median Rent
$83,895Median 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 College is $326,782.

  • The Median Rent in College is $1,454.

  • The Median Income in College is $83,895.

  • The Home Value To Income in College is 3.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in College is 0.21x.

Statistic College Alaska United States
Median Home Value $326,782 $387,635 $332,700
Median Rent $1,454 $1,419 $1,413
Median Income $83,895 $92,788 $80,734
Home Value To Income 3.9x 4.2x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.18x 0.21x

College, AK Costs By Category

Detailed College Services costs vs. Alaska
Item College Alaska
Shampoo $1.35 $1.28
Movie $16.17 $12.13
Bowling $17.55 $18
Haircut $32.06 $24.26
Beauty Salon $51.33 $45.56
Detailed College Groceries costs vs. Alaska
Item College Alaska
Ground Beef $6.57 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.02 $1.57
Milk $5.16 $4.67
Potatoes $5.98 $4.93
Pizza $13.49 $12.09
Beer $13.88 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.77 $3.7
Detailed College Health costs vs. Alaska
Item College Alaska
Optometrist $274.44 $125.68
Doctor $243.27 $135.78
Dentist $169.02 $113.29
Detailed College Transportation costs vs. Alaska
Item College Alaska
Gasoline $3.8 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.35 $59.92
Detailed College Utilities costs vs. Alaska
Item College Alaska
All Electricity $579.35 $193.99
Phone $187.48 $192.25

College SnackAbility

7.5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 8/10
Housing 8.5/10
Affordability 5/10
Diversity 9/10
SafetyN/A
Amenities 8/10
Education 8.5/10
Commute 9.5/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around College

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around College. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Fairbanks, AK has a cost of living index of 117, 1.0x College.

  • Badger, AK has a cost of living index of 122, 1.0x College.

  • Steele Creek, AK has a cost of living index of 118, 1.0x College.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. College
Fairbanks, AK 32,083 117 1.0x
Badger, AK 18,677 122 1.0x
Steele Creek, AK 5,928 118 1.0x
Chena Ridge, AK 5,881 122 1.0x
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