Living Cost Compare
Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/mo est.

vs
Springfield

Missouri

$970/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 $970 in Springfield, MO. Overall, Springfield, MO is roughly 28% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fairbanks, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $45,984 in Springfield, MO — about 36% higher in Fairbanks, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Fairbanks, AK
Springfield, MO

Rent

Studio
$883
$760
+14% in Fairbanks, AK
1 Bedroom
$1,076
$772
+28% in Fairbanks, AK
2 Bedroom
$1,428
$926
+35% in Fairbanks, AK
3 Bedroom
$2,019
$1,158
+43% in Fairbanks, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$255,700
$165,200
+35% in Fairbanks, AK

Income

Median Household Income
$72,077
$45,984
+36% in Fairbanks, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$61,810
$45,780
+26% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
28.6 yr
33.6 yr
+5.0 yr in Springfield, MO
Homeownership
40.5%
42.9%
+2.4 pp in Springfield, MO
Bachelor's+ (25+)
26.5%
30.3%
+3.8 pp in Springfield, MO
Avg Commute
14.1 min
18.0 min
+3.9 min in Springfield, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
726.1
1,189.8
+64% in Springfield, MO
Property Crime
3,504.2
4,231.6
+21% in Springfield, MO

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
56.3°F
+28.6°F in Springfield, MO
Annual Precipitation
10.8 in
45.6 in
+34.8 in in Springfield, MO

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
16.2
+43% in Fairbanks, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$28.78
+66% in Springfield, MO

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 Springfield, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.77
+8% in Fairbanks, AK
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.10
+4% in Springfield, MO
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 / MO)
None
4.225%
+4.2 pp in MO
Income Tax (top rate)
None
4.70%
+4.7 pp in MO

Fairbanks vs Springfield — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Springfield?
Springfield, MO is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $970 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 28% below Fairbanks, AK's $1,350, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks than in Springfield?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $31,000 in Springfield.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Springfield?
Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Springfield under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).