Moving to Alaska from Minnesota
What to Expect
Considering a move from Minnesota to Alaska? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Minnesota to Alaska, you would find that Alaska is 15.0% more expensive than Minnesota. A $75,000 salary in Minnesota would need to be roughly $87,355 in Alaska to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Minnesota and Alaska.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $87,355
To maintain the same standard of living in Alaska
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 25.9% more
Groceries
pay 27.5% more
Transportation
pay 0.4% more
Housing
pay 42.1% more
Childcare
pay 31.6% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 25.8% more
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 Alaska compared to Minnesota.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Minnesota performs 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
Minnesota generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Alaska leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Minnesota performs better than Alaska across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Minnesota generally does better on infrastructure, though Alaska leads in average commute.
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
Minnesota generally does better on employment & economy, though Alaska leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Minnesota performs better than Alaska across all family life metrics.
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 | Saint Paul | Juneau |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 32°/16°F (0°/-9°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 69°/50°F (21°/10°C) | 56°/42°F (13°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/60°F (26°/16°C) | 61°/49°F (16°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 43°/27°F (6°/-3°C) | 42°/33°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Saint Paul | Juneau |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 25°/9°F (-4.1°/-12.6°C) | 35°/26°F (1.4°/-3.2°C) |
| Feb | 30°/14°F (-1.3°/-9.9°C) | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C) |
| Mar | 42°/26°F (5.5°/-3.6°C) | 41°/30°F (4.9°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 58°/39°F (14.7°/3.9°C) | 49°/35°F (9.5°/1.8°C) |
| May | 70°/50°F (21.2°/10.0°C) | 57°/42°F (13.8°/5.7°C) |
| Jun | 79°/60°F (26.0°/15.4°C) | 62°/48°F (16.9°/9.1°C) |
| Jul | 83°/65°F (28.5°/18.1°C) | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.8°C) |
| Aug | 81°/62°F (27.1°/16.8°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.1°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.2°/11.7°C) | 57°/46°F (13.7°/7.7°C) |
| Oct | 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.7°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.9°C) |
| Nov | 42°/28°F (5.6°/-2.4°C) | 40°/31°F (4.3°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 28°/14°F (-2.5°/-10.1°C) | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Alaska than Minnesota?
On average Alaska is around 16% pricier than Minnesota, with notable variation by city.
How much money do I need to move to Alaska?
Budget about $21,839 for 3 months in Alaska (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Alaska safe?
Minnesota performs better than Alaska across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Alaska compared to Minnesota?
Minnesota generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Alaska leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Alaska compared to Minnesota?
The average high temperature in Juneau is 49°F, compared to 56°F in Saint Paul. Juneau receives around 92.2 in of rainfall per year, while Saint Paul gets 28.5 in.
