Living Cost Compare
Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

vs
New York City

New York

$2,010/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 $2,010 in New York City, NY. Overall, Juneau, AK is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New York City, NY, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $79,713 in New York City, NY — about 21% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; New York has a top state income tax rate of 10.90% and a 4% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$993
$1,633
+64% in New York City, NY
1 Bedroom
$1,257
$1,705
+36% in New York City, NY
2 Bedroom
$1,647
$1,781
+8% in New York City, NY
3 Bedroom
$1,949
$2,065
+6% in New York City, NY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$432,500
$751,700
+74% in New York City, NY

Income

Median Household Income
$100,513
$79,713
+21% in Juneau, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$61,430

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
39.8 yr
38.0 yr
+1.8 yr in Juneau, AK
Homeownership
64.4%
32.8%
+31.6 pp in Juneau, AK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.5%
41.0%
+0.5 pp in New York City, NY
Avg Commute
15.8 min
40.6 min
+24.8 min in New York City, NY

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
515.6
694
+35% in New York City, NY
Property Crime
2,113.1
2,415.4
+14% in New York City, NY

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
55.0°F
+12.9°F in New York City, NY
Annual Precipitation
62.3 in
49.9 in
+12.3 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$4.08/gal
+22% in Juneau, AK

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs New York City.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$3.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
29.5
+5% in New York City, NY
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$27.01
+56% in New York City, NY

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.31
+10% in Juneau, AK
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.92
+6% in Juneau, AK
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Juneau, AK
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.19
+9% in New York City, NY
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 / NY)
None
4%
+4.0 pp in NY
Income Tax (top rate)
None
10.90%
+10.9 pp in NY

Juneau vs New York City — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or New York City?
Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below New York City, NY's $2,010, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in New York City?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $68,000 in New York City.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or New York City?
Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); New York City under New York's (a top state income tax rate of 10.90% 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).