Overall
103.2
+3.2 above avg
2024 BEA RPP All 4 categories Federal source
Fairbanks-College, AK
Cost-of-living indicators for Fairbanks-College, AK, compiled from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities (2024 data year). Categories include All Items, Goods, Services, and Rents.
CBSA: 21820 · Data year: 2024 · Rank: #45 of 387
Fairbanks-College, AK has a cost of living index of 103.2, meaning it's 3.2% more expensive than the national average. Goods cost 7.3% more, services 19.8% more, and rents are 7.4% below average. A $100K national salary has the purchasing power of $96,892 here.
What the Numbers Mean for Fairbanks
Fairbanks ranks #45 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the top quartile for cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 103.2, Fairbanks-College, AK is 3.2% more expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Fairbanks's most and least expensive categories — services at 119.8 versus rents at 92.6 — is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $96,892 inside Fairbanks, while a household needs roughly $103,208 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 92.6 — 7.4% below the national average — so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Fairbanks's overall index has stayed within 1.5 points, holding steady versus other U.S. metros. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 107.3 and services at 119.8, meaning everyday spending in Fairbanks is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Fairbanks Cost Index at a Glance
Fairbanks all-items cost index
Regional Price Parity vs national average (100)
Fairbanks category breakdown
BEA RPP composition by goods, services, rents, overall
Price Index Summary
Goods
107.3
+7.3 above avg
Services
119.8
+19.8 above avg
Rents
92.6
-7.4 below avg
Price Index vs National Average (100)
Overall
National avg
Index 103.2 (+3.2 vs national avg)
Goods
National avg
Index 107.3 (+7.3 vs national avg)
Services
National avg
Index 119.8 (+19.8 vs national avg)
Rents
National avg
Index 92.6 (-7.4 vs national avg)
Vertical line on each bar = national average (100)
Cost Breakdown Analysis
Above National Average
Services +19.8% (119.8)
Goods +7.3% (107.3)
Overall +3.2% (103.2)
Below National Average
Rents -7.4% (92.6)
Income Adequacy in Fairbanks
Fairbanks income adequacy score
$75,000 median income vs RPP 103.2
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$103,208
in Fairbanks-College, AK purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$51,604
$75,000 nationally
$77,406
$125,000 nationally
$129,010
$150,000 nationally
$154,812
$200,000 nationally
$206,416
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has remained relatively stable, changing by only 1.5 points over this period.
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 104.7 |
| 2009 | 102.7 |
| 2010 | 102.2 |
| 2011 | 102.7 |
| 2012 | 97.9 |
| 2013 | 97.7 |
| 2014 | 101.3 |
| 2015 | 100.6 |
| 2016 | 100.4 |
| 2017 | 103.8 |
| 2018 | 104.6 |
| 2019 | 103.1 |
| 2020 | 99.4 |
| 2021 | 104.6 |
| 2022 | 98.7 |
| 2023 | 101.2 |
| 2024 | 103.2 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Fairbanks-College, AK's index of 103.2.
Related Data for Fairbanks
Salary Data
BLS occupation wages for Fairbanks area
Fair Market Rents
HUD rent data for Fairbanks metro
Crime Rates
FBI UCR crime data near Fairbanks
School Districts
NCES school data for Fairbanks area
ZIP Code Data
Census demographics for Fairbanks area
Life Score
Quality-of-life composite rating
Relocation Guide
7-dimension relocation intelligence
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Fairbanks-College, AK? ▼
Fairbanks-College, AK has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 103.2, meaning it is 3.2% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 107.3, services at 119.8, and rents at 92.6. It ranks #45 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Fairbanks-College, AK to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $103,208 in Fairbanks-College, AK. Conversely, $100K earned in Fairbanks-College, AK has the purchasing power of $96,892 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Fairbanks-College, AK? ▼
Rents in Fairbanks-College, AK are indexed at 92.6, which is 7.4% below the national average. This is close to the U.S. average.
Is Fairbanks-College, AK getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Fairbanks-College, AK's overall cost index changed by -1.5 points (from 104.7 to 103.2). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What costs the most in Fairbanks-College, AK? ▼
The most expensive category in Fairbanks-College, AK is services at 119.8, which is 19.8% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 92.6, 7.4% below average.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Fairbanks-College, AK? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Naples-Marco Island, Trenton-Princeton, Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Fairbanks-College, AK's 103.2.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official U.S. government datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
All federal data sources used on this page
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) — cost-of-living indices by metro and state. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) — inflation context by metro. bls.gov/cpi
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) — housing-cost component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — wage component. bls.gov/oes
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS — household income + demographics. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) — tax-burden context. irs.gov/statistics
