Living Cost Compare
Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/mo est.

vs
Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,430/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 $1,430 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Fairbanks, AK is roughly 6% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 16% higher in Fairbanks, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Fairbanks, AK
Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio
$883
$1,126
+28% in Philadelphia, PA
1 Bedroom
$1,076
$1,189
+11% in Philadelphia, PA
2 Bedroom
$1,428
$1,394
+2% in Fairbanks, AK
3 Bedroom
$2,019
$1,406
+30% in Fairbanks, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$255,700
$232,400
+9% in Fairbanks, AK

Income

Median Household Income
$72,077
$60,698
+16% in Fairbanks, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$61,810
$54,310
+12% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
28.6 yr
35.1 yr
+6.5 yr in Philadelphia, PA
Homeownership
40.5%
52.3%
+11.8 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
26.5%
34.6%
+8.1 pp in Philadelphia, PA
Avg Commute
14.1 min
32.0 min
+17.9 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
726.1
917.1
+26% in Philadelphia, PA
Property Crime
3,504.2
4,615.3
+32% in Philadelphia, PA

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
57.1°F
+29.4°F in Philadelphia, PA
Annual Precipitation
10.8 in
48.5 in
+37.7 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$3.94/gal
+24% in Fairbanks, AK

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

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.50

Adult base one-way fare — — vs SEPTA (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
21.7
+23% in Fairbanks, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$26.08
+50% in Philadelphia, PA

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
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Fairbanks, AK
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.19
+9% in Philadelphia, PA
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 / PA)
None
6%
+6.0 pp in PA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.07%
+3.1 pp in PA

Fairbanks vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Philadelphia?
Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 6% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks than in Philadelphia?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Philadelphia?
Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% 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).