Moving to Alaska from Rhode Island
What to Expect
Considering a move from Rhode Island to Alaska? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Rhode Island to Alaska, you would find that Alaska is 5.2% more expensive than Rhode Island. A $75,000 salary in Rhode Island would need to be roughly $70,174 in Alaska to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Juneau averages 49°F vs 61°F in Providence, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Rhode Island and Alaska.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $70,174
To maintain the same standard of living in Alaska
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 12.9% more
Groceries
pay 7.8% more
Transportation
pay 14.8% less
Housing
pay 10.1% more
Childcare
pay 40.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 17.6% 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 Rhode Island.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Rhode Island 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
Rhode Island generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Alaska leads in diabetes 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 Rhode Island leads in median rent.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Rhode Island 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
Alaska generally does better on employment & economy, though Rhode Island leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Rhode Island 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 | Providence | Juneau |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/49°F (20°/9°C) | 56°/42°F (13°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) | 61°/49°F (16°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 53°/35°F (12°/2°C) | 42°/33°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Providence | Juneau |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 37°/21°F (3.0°/-6.1°C) | 35°/26°F (1.4°/-3.2°C) |
| Feb | 40°/24°F (4.6°/-4.7°C) | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C) |
| Mar | 48°/30°F (8.8°/-1.1°C) | 41°/30°F (4.9°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.2°C) | 49°/35°F (9.5°/1.8°C) |
| May | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.2°C) | 57°/42°F (13.8°/5.7°C) |
| Jun | 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.7°C) | 62°/48°F (16.9°/9.1°C) |
| Jul | 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.9°C) | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.8°C) |
| Aug | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.3°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.1°C) |
| Sep | 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.9°C) | 57°/46°F (13.7°/7.7°C) |
| Oct | 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.6°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.9°C) |
| Nov | 53°/36°F (11.8°/2.1°C) | 40°/31°F (4.3°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.2°C) | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Alaska than Rhode Island?
On average Alaska is about 6% less expensive than Rhode Island, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to Alaska?
Budget about $17,544 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?
Rhode Island performs better than Alaska across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Alaska compared to Rhode Island?
Rhode Island generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Alaska leads in diabetes rate.
What's the weather like in Alaska compared to Rhode Island?
The average high temperature in Juneau is 49°F, compared to 61°F in Providence. Juneau receives around 92.2 in of rainfall per year, while Providence gets 47.2 in.
