Living Cost Compare
Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

vs
Laramie

Wyoming

$890/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,530 in Juneau, AK versus $890 in Laramie, WY. Overall, Laramie, WY is roughly 42% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $52,414 in Laramie, WY — about 48% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$993
$667
+33% in Juneau, AK
1 Bedroom
$1,257
$728
+42% in Juneau, AK
2 Bedroom
$1,647
$883
+46% in Juneau, AK
3 Bedroom
$1,949
$1,423
+27% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$432,500
$302,200
+30% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income
$100,513
$52,414
+48% in Juneau, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
39.8 yr
26.9 yr
+12.9 yr in Juneau, AK
Homeownership
64.4%
44.1%
+20.3 pp in Juneau, AK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.5%
55.8%
+15.3 pp in Laramie, WY
Avg Commute
15.8 min
13.5 min
+2.3 min in Juneau, AK

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
515.6
129.6
+75% in Juneau, AK
Property Crime
2,113.1
1,175.9
+44% in Juneau, AK

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
42.1°F
41.0°F
+1.1°F in Juneau, AK
Annual Precipitation
62.3 in
10.9 in
+51.4 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$4.27/gal
+18% in Juneau, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
15.2
+46% in Juneau, AK
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$18.28
+5% in Laramie, WY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / WY)
None
4%
+4.0 pp in WY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
None
about equal

Juneau vs Laramie — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Laramie?
Laramie, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $890 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 42% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Laramie?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $29,000 in Laramie.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Laramie?
Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Laramie under Wyoming's (no state income tax and a 4% 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).