Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Jersey City?

Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks than in Jersey City?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $74,000 in Jersey City.

Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Jersey City?

Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Jersey City under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax).

Fairbanks vs Jersey City Cost of Living 2026

Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/mo est.

Jersey City

New Jersey

$2,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,350 in Fairbanks, AK versus $2,100 in Jersey City, NJ. Overall, Fairbanks, AK is roughly 36% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jersey City, NJ, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $94,813 in Jersey City, NJ — about 24% higher in Jersey City, NJ. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; New Jersey has a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% state sales tax.

Fairbanks, AK

Jersey City, NJ

Rent

Studio

$883

$1,949

+121% in Jersey City, NJ

1 Bedroom

$1,076

$1,853

+72% in Jersey City, NJ

2 Bedroom

$1,428

$1,857

+30% in Jersey City, NJ

3 Bedroom

$2,019

$2,004

+1% in Fairbanks, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$255,700

$534,500

+109% in Jersey City, NJ

Income

Median Household Income

$72,077

$94,813

+32% in Jersey City, NJ

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,810

$61,430

+1% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.6 yr

34.7 yr

+6.1 yr in Jersey City, NJ

Homeownership

40.5%

28.8%

+11.7 pp in Fairbanks, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

26.5%

53.1%

+26.6 pp in Jersey City, NJ

Avg Commute

14.1 min

36.9 min

+22.8 min in Jersey City, NJ

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

726.1

562.9

+22% in Fairbanks, AK

Property Crime

3,504.2

2,036.4

+42% in Fairbanks, AK

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

27.7°F

55.0°F

+27.3°F in Jersey City, NJ

Annual Precipitation

10.8 in

49.9 in

+39.1 in in Jersey City, NJ

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.94/gal

+24% in Fairbanks, AK

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

24.9

+12% in Fairbanks, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$17.68

+2% in Jersey City, NJ

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Fairbanks, AK

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.92

+6% in Fairbanks, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Fairbanks, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Jersey City, NJ

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / NJ)

None

6.625%

+6.6 pp in NJ

Income Tax (top rate)

None

10.75%

+10.8 pp in NJ

Fairbanks vs Jersey City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Jersey City?: Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 36% below Jersey City, NJ's $2,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks than in Jersey City?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $74,000 in Jersey City.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Jersey City?: Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Jersey City under New Jersey's (a top state income tax rate of 10.75% and a 6.625% 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).