Is it cheaper to live in Bangor or Juneau?

Bangor, ME is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,210 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Bangor than in Juneau?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Bangor versus $50,000 in Juneau.

Which has lower taxes, Bangor or Juneau?

Bangor is taxed under Maine's rules (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Juneau under Alaska's (no state income tax and no state sales tax).

Bangor vs Juneau Cost of Living 2026

Bangor

Maine

$1,210/mo est.

Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,210 in Bangor, ME versus $1,530 in Juneau, AK. Overall, Bangor, ME is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,096 in Bangor, ME and $100,513 in Juneau, AK — about 42% higher in Juneau, AK. Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax.

Bangor, ME

Juneau, AK

Rent

Studio

$800

$993

+24% in Juneau, AK

1 Bedroom

$889

$1,257

+41% in Juneau, AK

2 Bedroom

$1,136

$1,647

+45% in Juneau, AK

3 Bedroom

$1,224

$1,949

+59% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$206,300

$432,500

+110% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income

$58,096

$100,513

+73% in Juneau, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$47,960

—

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

39.8 yr

+0.9 yr in Bangor, ME

Homeownership

46.9%

64.4%

+17.5 pp in Juneau, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

36.3%

40.5%

+4.2 pp in Juneau, AK

Avg Commute

17.0 min

15.8 min

+1.2 min in Bangor, ME

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

161.4

515.6

+219% in Juneau, AK

Property Crime

4,259.8

2,113.1

+50% in Bangor, ME

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

44.3°F

42.1°F

+2.2°F in Bangor, ME

Annual Precipitation

41.9 in

62.3 in

+20.3 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$5.21/gal

+32% in Juneau, AK

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

29.6

28.2

+5% in Bangor, ME

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$31.62

$17.35

+45% in Bangor, ME

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.82

+12% in Juneau, AK

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$2.04

+6% in Juneau, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$7.36

+7% in Juneau, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$2.01

+8% in Bangor, ME

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (ME / AK)

5.5%

None

+5.5 pp in ME

Income Tax (top rate)

7.15%

None

+7.2 pp in ME

Bangor vs Juneau — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bangor or Juneau?: Bangor, ME is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,210 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bangor than in Juneau?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Bangor versus $50,000 in Juneau.
Which has lower taxes, Bangor or Juneau?: Bangor is taxed under Maine's rules (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax); Juneau under Alaska's (no state income tax 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).