10 Common Things That Are Way More Expensive In Alaska Than Anywhere Else In The U.S.
Wondering “is Alaska expensive?” Well, you’ve come to the right place! Living in Alaska is definitely a sacrifice; you have to brave the storm, be thousands of miles away from the rest of your family and get used to doing things like paying 5x as much for a food item than you did in the lower 48. The cost of living up here is not cheap. However for those of us that live here and absolutely love it, it’s totally worth it. We’d rather pay outrageous prices for these things that are way more expensive in Alaska than anywhere else in the U.S, and be surrounded by like-minded people than be stuck in a concrete jungle any day! Check out these 10 common things that are way more expensive in the last frontier than anywhere else in the US.
Grocery stores in Alaska are often times called 'General Stores' because they have an assortment of grocery, hardware and lifestyle items inside. They will lure you in with their cozy log-cabin style building with charming Alaskan adornments on the outside. That and, well - they very well might be the only place in town to shop. However, we will warn you now - make sure that you're prepared for the sticker shock one you get inside. Living in Alaska isn’t cheap, that’s for sure.
At that price, you'd be one step closer to figuring out how you can get a cow or two shipped to the bush. Many people don’t realize how expensive it is in to live in Alaska!
$45.15 in Kotzebue and only $23.00 at Costco in Anchorage. Living off the grid away from the crowds certainly does not come cheap, folks! And on that same note, we should really think about getting into the shipping industry!
About 5x the cost of anywhere else, be prepared to pay top dollar for the aroma of an Italian delight. Good taste and authenticity is never guaranteed.
Love those $5 dollar footlong commercials that you see on TV? Well guess what; they're just fictional when you live in Alaska. Be sure to look for those "does not apply to residents living in AK or HI" at the end of the commercial in size 8 font. BOO! That’s the cost of living in Alaska. Even the advertising has to be different!
Twice as much as the lower 48? Awesome! Worth it to live in Alaska though. For sure! Our lifestyle can’t be replicated anywhere else, so at least we have that going for us.
Just one of those mere items that you literally NEED to survive. You guessed it, no discounts here! That snow is looking pretty quenching right about now...
They say that Alaskans eat more ice cream per capita than anywhere else in the USA. With these crazy prices, we can't help but to scratch our heads in confusion. That is just insane! Although the price isn’t stopping us from buying.
Kind of like the thought we had about brining in a cow, what do you think our chances might be of growing a tropical orange tree in the middle of rural Alaska? Probably not very likely, unfortunately. Well... it looks like we will just have to get used to paying these prices to get our daily dose of Vitamin C. Ouch!
The best part about this crazy price is that we can actually avoid paying it if we just go outside and collect our own delicious wild Alaska berries. Salmonberry or Gooseberry jam sounds a lot better than that pre-packaged stuff from who knows where. If only we didn't have to worry about the price of sugar next...
In general, we think that just about anyone and everyone living in a rural part of Alaska can agree that gasoline is incredibly expensive. Playing hard on the ATVs or going out deep on the saltwater or up the river is always a blast, but it doesn't come cheap. These prices here are in King Salmon. Just in case you aren't in the mood to do the quick math in your head, that is basically $5.83 per gallon. Holy smokes! And it only climbs higher as the years pass. What do you think next year’s gallon price will be?
Have you had to buy any of these things that are more expensive in Alaska than anywhere else in the United States? Did the price shock you? Let us know in the comments below!
Aside from the really high prices, living in Alaska is definitely the best place to be in the U.S. Rural Alaska in particular is special for so many reasons including the limited crowd sizes and the vast array of outdoor activities. If you don’t already agree, be sure to check out these 20 photos that prove rural Alaska is the best place to live and get ready to leave the city life behind.
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Address: Alaska, USA
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Things That Are More Expensive In Alaska
September 29, 2020
Megan McDonald
Is it expensive to live in Alaska?
Yes, overall Alaska is one of the more expensive states to live in in the entire United States of America. Due to our location, and the necessity of shipping or flying everything in, our costs of goods and services is much higher than the average state. You’ll see many Alaskans fishing, hunting, and foraging for goods that the state provides naturally to help offset this increase in living. We also don’t have a state income tax, and our state residents get a portion of the Permanent Fund Dividend, which can help offset the cost of living in this beautiful, but very expensive, state.
Does Alaska pay you to live there?
Not exactly. The Permanent Fund Dividend, or PFD, is a dividend paid to Alaskan residents that have lived within the state for one calendar year starting each and every January. It’s a constitutionally established permanent fund managed by a state-owned corporation. It’s paid into by oil revenues. It was established in 1979 and still is in operation to this day. It is currently capped at a maximum of $1,000 per resident, annually.
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Living and loving life in Alaska, Courtney enjoys living a happy life based on simple principles; work hard, be kind, stay humble. She is an avid dog lover with hobbies that include running, fly fishing, hiking & snowboarding.
