Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Portland?

Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Portland, ME's $1,650, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Portland?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $53,000 in Portland.

Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Portland?

Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Portland under Maine's (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax).

Juneau vs Portland Cost of Living 2026

Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

Portland

Maine

$1,650/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 $1,650 in Portland, ME. Overall, Juneau, AK is roughly 7% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, ME, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $76,174 in Portland, ME — about 24% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Maine has a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Juneau, AK

Portland, ME

Rent

Studio

$993

$1,038

+5% in Portland, ME

1 Bedroom

$1,257

$1,331

+6% in Portland, ME

2 Bedroom

$1,647

$1,664

+1% in Portland, ME

3 Bedroom

$1,949

$1,919

+2% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$432,500

$452,600

+5% in Portland, ME

Income

Median Household Income

$100,513

$76,174

+24% in Juneau, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$56,960

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.8 yr

37.5 yr

+2.3 yr in Juneau, AK

Homeownership

64.4%

46.7%

+17.7 pp in Juneau, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

59.2%

+18.7 pp in Portland, ME

Avg Commute

15.8 min

19.9 min

+4.1 min in Portland, ME

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

515.6

272.7

+47% in Juneau, AK

Property Crime

2,113.1

2,513.3

+19% in Portland, ME

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

46.5°F

+4.4°F in Portland, ME

Annual Precipitation

62.3 in

47.3 in

+15.0 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$3.94/gal

+24% in Juneau, AK

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

29.6

+5% in Portland, ME

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$31.62

+82% in Portland, ME

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

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Juneau, AK

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Portland, ME

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 / ME)

None

5.5%

+5.5 pp in ME

Income Tax (top rate)

None

7.15%

+7.2 pp in ME

Juneau vs Portland — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Portland?: Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 7% below Portland, ME's $1,650, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Portland?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $53,000 in Portland.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Portland?: Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Portland under Maine's (a top state income tax rate of 7.15% and a 5.5% 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).