Living Cost Compare
Fairbanks

Alaska

$1,350/mo est.

vs
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Fairbanks, AK is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $72,077 in Fairbanks, AK and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 1% higher in Fairbanks, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Fairbanks, AK
Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio
$883
$1,242
+41% in Tampa, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,076
$1,324
+23% in Tampa, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,428
$1,673
+17% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$2,019
$1,729
+14% in Fairbanks, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$255,700
$375,300
+47% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$72,077
$71,302
+1% in Fairbanks, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$61,810
$48,940
+21% in Fairbanks, AK

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
28.6 yr
35.6 yr
+7.0 yr in Tampa, FL
Homeownership
40.5%
50.2%
+9.7 pp in Tampa, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
26.5%
44.6%
+18.1 pp in Tampa, FL
Avg Commute
14.1 min
24.7 min
+10.6 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
726.1
443.2
+39% in Fairbanks, AK
Property Crime
3,504.2
1,473.2
+58% 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
73.4°F
+45.7°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
10.8 in
46.3 in
+35.5 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$3.83/gal
+27% in Fairbanks, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
15.1
+46% in Fairbanks, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$23.62
+36% in Tampa, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Fairbanks, AK
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Fairbanks, AK
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Tampa, FL
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Fairbanks, AK
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Fairbanks, AK
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Fairbanks, AK

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / FL)
None
6%
+6.0 pp in FL
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Fairbanks vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fairbanks or Tampa?
Fairbanks, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,350 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fairbanks than in Tampa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $43,000 a year in Fairbanks versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Fairbanks or Tampa?
Fairbanks is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax 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).