Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Salem?

Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $40,000 in Salem.

Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Salem?

Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax).

Juneau vs Salem Cost of Living 2026

Juneau

Alaska

$1,530/mo est.

Salem

Oregon

$1,170/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 $1,170 in Salem, OR. Overall, Salem, OR is roughly 24% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Juneau, AK, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $100,513 in Juneau, AK and $71,900 in Salem, OR — about 28% higher in Juneau, AK. Alaska has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax.

Juneau, AK

Salem, OR

Rent

Studio

$993

$1,075

+8% in Salem, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,257

$989

+21% in Juneau, AK

2 Bedroom

$1,647

$1,337

+19% in Juneau, AK

3 Bedroom

$1,949

$1,778

+9% in Juneau, AK

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$432,500

$382,400

+12% in Juneau, AK

Income

Median Household Income

$100,513

$71,900

+28% in Juneau, AK

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$55,310

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

39.8 yr

35.7 yr

+4.1 yr in Juneau, AK

Homeownership

64.4%

55.7%

+8.7 pp in Juneau, AK

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.5%

31.4%

+9.1 pp in Juneau, AK

Avg Commute

15.8 min

22.4 min

+6.6 min in Salem, OR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

515.6

540.6

+5% in Salem, OR

Property Crime

2,113.1

2,878.6

+36% in Salem, OR

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

53.0°F

+10.9°F in Salem, OR

Annual Precipitation

62.3 in

39.7 in

+22.6 in in Juneau, AK

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

about equal

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

28.2

16.3

+42% in Juneau, AK

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$17.35

$21.60

+24% in Salem, OR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

about equal

Bread (lb)

$2.04

about equal

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

about equal

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

about equal

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AK / OR)

None

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.90%

+9.9 pp in OR

Juneau vs Salem — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Juneau or Salem?: Salem, OR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,170 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 24% below Juneau, AK's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Juneau than in Salem?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $50,000 a year in Juneau versus $40,000 in Salem.
Which has lower taxes, Juneau or Salem?: Juneau is taxed under Alaska's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Salem under Oregon's (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no 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).