Living Cost Compare
Anchorage

Alaska

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Salem

Oregon

$1,170/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Anchorage, AK versus $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Anchorage, AK, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $98,152 in Anchorage, AK and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 27% higher in Anchorage, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Anchorage, AK
Salem, OR

Rent

Studio
$1,001
$1,075
+7% in Salem, OR
1 Bedroom
$1,052
$989
+6% in Anchorage, AK
2 Bedroom
$1,433
$1,337
+7% in Anchorage, AK
3 Bedroom
$1,952
$1,778
+9% in Anchorage, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$375,900
$382,400
+2% in Salem, OR

Income

Median Household Income
$98,152
$71,900
+27% in Anchorage, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$60,200
$55,310
+8% in Anchorage, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.9 yr
35.7 yr
+0.8 yr in Salem, OR
Homeownership
63.7%
55.7%
+8.0 pp in Anchorage, AK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.7%
31.4%
+6.3 pp in Anchorage, AK
Avg Commute
19.0 min
22.4 min
+3.4 min in Salem, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
1,016.5
540.6
+47% in Anchorage, AK
Property Crime
2,796.2
2,878.6
+3% in Salem, OR

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
37.4°F
53.0°F
+15.6°F in Salem, OR
Annual Precipitation
17.9 in
39.7 in
+21.8 in in Salem, OR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$5.09/gal
about equal

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
16.3
+42% in Anchorage, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$14.40
$20.59
+43% in Salem, OR

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

Average prices — West vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / OR)
None
None
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
None
9.90%
+9.9 pp in OR

Anchorage vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Anchorage or Salem?
Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Anchorage, AK's $1,320, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Anchorage than in Salem?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Anchorage versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Anchorage or Salem?
Anchorage is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).