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State cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP

Cost of Living in Alaska

Statewide Regional Price Parities for Alaska from the Bureau of Economic Analysis — overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100, across 2 metro areas.

102.4
Statewide RPP
#14
of 51 states by cost
93.8
Rents RPP
2
Metro areas

The verdict

Alaska is more expensive than 73% of U.S. states — a statewide cost index of 102.4, 2.4% above the national average.

102.4
statewide cost index (US average = 100)
#14
of 51 states by overall cost
top 27%
nationally, among all states
93.8
rents RPP — the biggest budget swing

A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $97,695 when earned in Alaska.

Reading the Alaska Cost of Living Picture

The Bureau of Economic Analysis places Alaska's statewide Regional Price Parity at 102.4 for the 2024 data year, 2.4% more expensive the U.S. baseline of 100. Inside the headline figure, the state's services line runs hottest at 119.0, while rents offer the biggest relief at 93.8. That internal spread — rather than the single state number — is what determines whether a household actually feels priced in or priced out.

Alaska captures 2 metro areas in the BEA dataset, and the range across them is meaningful. Anchorage, AK leads on cost at 105.4, while Fairbanks-College, AK sits at the opposite end at 103.2 — a gap of 2.2 index points inside a single state. For goods the state indexes at 106.3, for services 119.0, and for rents 93.8 — the rent figure tends to be the most volatile input and deserves its own line-item review before any relocation decision.

Over time, Alaska's statewide index has held steady within 1.5 points, suggesting a stable competitive position against other states. Practically, this means a $100,000 national salary delivers the purchasing power of about $97,695 of national buying power when earned inside Alaska, and a household relocating here would need roughly $102,359 to reproduce a $100K lifestyle. Pair these numbers with metro-specific wage data and rent tables before treating the statewide figure as your planning assumption.

102.4
Overall
106.3
Goods
119.0
Services
93.8
Rents

Alaska vs every U.S. state

Where this state sits in the national cost distribution

102 Top 27% higher than 73% of 51 US states

84–87: 2 US states (4%). Below this entry. 87–90: 7 US states (14%). Below this entry. 90–93: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 93–96: 6 US states (12%). Below this entry. 96–99: 8 US states (16%). Below this entry. 99–102: 5 US states (10%). Below this entry. 102–105: 8 US states (16%). This entry sits in this band. 105–108: 3 US states (6%). Above this entry. 108–111: 4 US states (8%). Above this entry. 111–114: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. 114–117: 0 US states (0%). Above this entry. This state 84 117 every US state (incl. DC), bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities · 2024

Most Expensive in Alaska → Cheapest in Alaska →

Metro areas in Alaska, ranked by cost

# Metro area OverallGoodsServicesRents
1 Anchorage 105.4 107.3 111.8 109.9
2 Fairbanks-College 103.2 107.3 119.8 92.6

The Rents RPP index measures housing costs relative to the national average (100). For the federal 40th-percentile Fair Market Rent by bedroom size and county, see the HUD Fair Market Rents dataset.

RPP History

Year Overall
2008 103.9
2009 106.1
2010 103.1
2011 103.3
2012 102.5
2013 102.1
2014 102.4
2015 103.3
2016 104.1
2017 104.8
2018 104.6
2019 103.0
2020 101.3
2021 104.9
2022 102.1
2023 103.3
2024 102.4

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
Cost of Living vs Wages
Where your dollar goes furthest
Understanding Regional Price Parities
How BEA constructs RPP data

View all guides →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Alaska? ▼
Alaska has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 102.4, meaning it is 2.4% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 106.3, services at 119.0, and rents at 93.8.
What salary in Alaska equals $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $102,359 in Alaska. Conversely, $100K earned in Alaska has the purchasing power of $97,695 at the national average.
Is housing expensive in Alaska? ▼
Rents in Alaska are indexed at 93.8, which is 6.2% below the national average. Housing costs are close to the national average.
Which is the most expensive metro in Alaska? ▼
The most expensive metro area in Alaska is Anchorage, AK with an RPP of 105.4. The most affordable is Fairbanks-College, AK at 103.2. There are 2 metro areas in Alaska with BEA price data.
Is Alaska getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Alaska's overall cost index changed by -1.5 points (from 103.9 to 102.4). The cost of living has remained relatively stable.
What is most expensive in Alaska compared to the U.S. average? ▼
The most expensive category in Alaska is services at 119.0, which is 19.0% above the national average. The most affordable category is rents at 93.8, 6.2% below average.

Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities Index where national average = 100

Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.