Living Cost Compare
Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

vs
Sacramento

California

$1,760/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 $1,760 in Sacramento, CA. Overall, Juneau, AK is roughly 13% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $83,753 in Sacramento, CA — about 17% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$993
$1,259
+27% in Sacramento, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,257
$1,418
+13% in Sacramento, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,647
$1,742
+6% in Sacramento, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,949
$1,973
+1% in Sacramento, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$432,500
$484,600
+12% in Sacramento, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$100,513
$83,753
+17% in Juneau, AK
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,750

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
39.8 yr
35.7 yr
+4.1 yr in Juneau, AK
Homeownership
64.4%
51.5%
+12.9 pp in Juneau, AK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
40.5%
36.4%
+4.1 pp in Juneau, AK
Avg Commute
15.8 min
25.6 min
+9.8 min in Sacramento, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
515.6
756.6
+47% in Sacramento, CA
Property Crime
2,113.1
2,615.3
+24% in Sacramento, CA

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
61.0°F
+18.9°F in Sacramento, CA
Annual Precipitation
62.3 in
18.5 in
+43.8 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.21/gal
$5.52/gal
+6% in Sacramento, CA

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
28.2
34.7
+23% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$17.35
$20.33
+17% in Sacramento, CA

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 / CA)
None
7.25%
+7.3 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Juneau vs Sacramento — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Sacramento?
Juneau, AK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,530 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Sacramento, CA's $1,760, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Sacramento?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $57,000 in Sacramento.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Sacramento?
Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Sacramento under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).