Moving to Kansas from Alaska

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Alaska to Kansas — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Alaska to Kansas, you would find that Kansas is 16.4% cheaper than Alaska. A $75,000 salary in Alaska would need to be roughly $57,512 in Kansas to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Topeka averages 66°F vs 49°F in Juneau, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Alaska to Kansas.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $57,512

To maintain the same standard of living in Kansas

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 28.5% less

Groceries

pay 28.9% less

Transportation

pay 14.1% less

Housing

pay 31.2% less

Childcare

pay 26.3% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 25.0% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Alaska to Kansas.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AK
722
KS
424
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AK
1868
KS
2068

Alaska generally does better on safety, though Kansas leads in violent crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

AK
10.7%
KS
8.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

AK
31.9%
KS
36.8%

Alaska generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kansas leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

AK
$333,300
KS
$203,400
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

AK
$1,388
KS
$1,029

Kansas performs significantly better than Alaska across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

AK
90.8%
KS
89.5%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

AK
20 min
KS
20 min

Alaska performs better than Kansas across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AK
5.0%
KS
3.4%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

AK
$75,882
KS
$60,996

Alaska generally does better on employment & economy, though Kansas leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

AK
76.6 yrs
KS
76.4 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

AK
21%
KS
23%

Alaska generally does better on family life, though Kansas 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.

Juneau Rain: 92.2 in/yr (2342 mm)
49° / 38°F

Avg. annual high / low

Topeka Rain: 38.9 in/yr (989 mm)
66° / 43°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Juneau Topeka
Jan–Mar 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) 46°/25°F (8°/-4°C)
Apr–Jun 56°/42°F (13°/6°C) 75°/53°F (24°/12°C)
Jul–Sep 61°/49°F (16°/10°C) 86°/63°F (30°/17°C)
Oct–Dec 42°/33°F (5°/0°C) 54°/32°F (12°/0°C)
View all months
Month Juneau Topeka
Jan 35°/26°F (1.4°/-3.2°C) 39°/19°F (4.1°/-7.3°C)
Feb 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C) 44°/23°F (6.9°/-5.1°C)
Mar 41°/30°F (4.9°/-1.1°C) 56°/32°F (13.4°/0.1°C)
Apr 49°/35°F (9.5°/1.8°C) 66°/43°F (19.1°/5.9°C)
May 57°/42°F (13.8°/5.7°C) 75°/53°F (24.1°/11.8°C)
Jun 62°/48°F (16.9°/9.1°C) 84°/63°F (28.9°/17.0°C)
Jul 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.8°C) 90°/68°F (32.2°/19.9°C)
Aug 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.1°C) 89°/65°F (31.6°/18.6°C)
Sep 57°/46°F (13.7°/7.7°C) 80°/55°F (26.7°/13.0°C)
Oct 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.9°C) 67°/44°F (19.6°/6.6°C)
Nov 40°/31°F (4.3°/-0.3°C) 54°/32°F (12.3°/0.2°C)
Dec 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.3°C) 41°/21°F (4.9°/-5.9°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Kansas than Alaska?

Yes — Kansas is on average about 23% cheaper than Alaska. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Kansas?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $14,378 in Kansas on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Kansas safe?

Alaska generally does better on safety, though Kansas leads in violent crime rate.

How is healthcare in Kansas compared to Alaska?

Alaska generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Kansas leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Kansas compared to Alaska?

The average high temperature in Topeka is 66°F, compared to 49°F in Juneau. Topeka receives around 38.9 in of rainfall per year, while Juneau gets 92.2 in.

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