Moving to Alaska from Washington
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Washington to Alaska — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Washington to Alaska, you would find that Alaska is 4.9% more expensive than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly $77,191 in Alaska to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Juneau averages 49°F vs 60°F in Olympia, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Washington to Alaska.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $77,191
To maintain the same standard of living in Alaska
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 18.0% more
Groceries
pay 22.2% more
Transportation
pay 12.0% less
Housing
pay 19.9% more
Childcare
pay 44.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 20.0% 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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Washington to Alaska.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Washington generally does better on safety, though Alaska leads in property crime rate.
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
Washington performs better than Alaska across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Alaska performs significantly better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Washington 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
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Alaska leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Washington 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 | Olympia | Juneau |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) | 38°/28°F (3°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) | 56°/42°F (13°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) | 61°/49°F (16°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) | 42°/33°F (5°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Olympia | Juneau |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) | 35°/26°F (1.4°/-3.2°C) |
| Feb | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.4°C) |
| Mar | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) | 41°/30°F (4.9°/-1.1°C) |
| Apr | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) | 49°/35°F (9.5°/1.8°C) |
| May | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) | 57°/42°F (13.8°/5.7°C) |
| Jun | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) | 62°/48°F (16.9°/9.1°C) |
| Jul | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) | 63°/51°F (17.4°/10.8°C) |
| Aug | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) | 63°/50°F (17.0°/10.1°C) |
| Sep | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) | 57°/46°F (13.7°/7.7°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) | 48°/39°F (9.1°/3.9°C) |
| Nov | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) | 40°/31°F (4.3°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) | 37°/28°F (2.6°/-2.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Alaska than Washington?
No — Alaska is on average about 3% more expensive than Washington. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Alaska?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $19,298 in Alaska on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Alaska safe?
Washington generally does better on safety, though Alaska leads in property crime rate.
How is healthcare in Alaska compared to Washington?
Washington performs better than Alaska across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Alaska compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Juneau is 49°F, compared to 60°F in Olympia. Juneau receives around 92.2 in of rainfall per year, while Olympia gets 50.0 in.
