Moving to Arizona from Alaska
What to Expect
Considering a move from Alaska to Arizona? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Alaska to Arizona, you would find that Arizona is 8.2% cheaper than Alaska. A $75,000 salary in Alaska would need to be roughly $66,943 in Arizona to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Phoenix averages 87°F vs 49°F in Juneau, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Alaska and Arizona.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $66,943
To maintain the same standard of living in Arizona
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 14.5% less
Groceries
pay 26.3% less
Transportation
pay 1.8% more
Housing
pay 5.4% less
Childcare
pay 19.5% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in Arizona compared to Alaska.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Arizona performs significantly better than Alaska across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Alaska generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Alaska generally does better on what about housing?, though Arizona leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Alaska performs better than Arizona across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Alaska generally does better on employment & economy, though Arizona leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Alaska generally does better on family life, though Arizona leads in bachelor's degree or higher.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Juneau | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) | 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 56°/42°F (13°/6°C) | 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 61°/49°F (16°/10°C) | 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 42°/33°F (5°/0°C) | 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) |
View all months
| Month | Juneau | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/26°F (1.4°/-3.2°C) | 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) |
| Feb | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C) | 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) |
| Mar | 41°/30°F (4.9°/-1.1°C) | 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) |
| Apr | 49°/35°F (9.5°/1.8°C) | 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) |
| May | 57°/42°F (13.8°/5.7°C) | 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) |
| Jun | 62°/48°F (16.9°/9.1°C) | 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) |
| Jul | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.8°C) | 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) |
| Aug | 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.1°C) | 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) |
| Sep | 57°/46°F (13.7°/7.7°C) | 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) |
| Oct | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.9°C) | 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) |
| Nov | 40°/31°F (4.3°/-0.3°C) | 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) |
| Dec | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.3°C) | 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Arizona than Alaska?
On average Arizona is about 11% less expensive than Alaska, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Arizona?
Budget about $16,736 for 3 months in Arizona (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Arizona safe?
Arizona performs significantly better than Alaska across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Arizona compared to Alaska?
Alaska generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arizona leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Arizona compared to Alaska?
The average high temperature in Phoenix is 87°F, compared to 49°F in Juneau. Phoenix receives around 8.2 in of rainfall per year, while Juneau gets 92.2 in.
