Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Naperville?

Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $64,000 in Naperville.

Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Naperville?

Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Naperville under Illinois's (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Fairbanks vs Naperville Cost of Living 2026

Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/mo est.

Naperville

Illinois

$1,800/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 $1,800 in Naperville, IL. Overall, Fairbanks, AK is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $150,937 in Naperville, IL — about 52% higher in Naperville, IL. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Fairbanks, AK

Naperville, IL

Rent

Studio

$883

$1,713

+94% in Naperville, IL

1 Bedroom

$1,076

$1,594

+48% in Naperville, IL

2 Bedroom

$1,428

$1,889

+32% in Naperville, IL

3 Bedroom

$2,019

$2,446

+21% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$255,700

$509,900

+99% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income

$72,077

$150,937

+109% in Naperville, IL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$61,810

$54,720

+11% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.6 yr

40.1 yr

+11.5 yr in Naperville, IL

Homeownership

40.5%

74.3%

+33.8 pp in Naperville, IL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

26.5%

71.7%

+45.2 pp in Naperville, IL

Avg Commute

14.1 min

31.4 min

+17.3 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

726.1

85.7

+88% in Fairbanks, AK

Property Crime

3,504.2

892.2

+75% 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

49.9°F

+22.2°F in Naperville, IL

Annual Precipitation

10.8 in

36.9 in

+26.1 in in Naperville, IL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.85/gal

+26% in Fairbanks, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

19.9

+29% in Fairbanks, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$19.71

+14% in Naperville, IL

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

$1.66

+19% in Fairbanks, AK

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$3.63

+66% in Naperville, IL

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.77

+8% in Fairbanks, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.10

+4% in Naperville, IL

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Fairbanks, AK

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / IL)

None

6.25%

+6.3 pp in IL

Income Tax (top rate)

None

4.95%

+5.0 pp in IL

Fairbanks vs Naperville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Naperville?: Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Naperville, IL's $1,800, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks than in Naperville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $64,000 in Naperville.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Naperville?: Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Naperville under Illinois's (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% and a 6.25% 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).