What is the cost of living like in Alaska?

Question

I'm thinking of applying for a internship in Alaska. It pays $100 a week plus housing. The prospect of living in Alaska interests me, but I was wondering..........Is this enough to live off of?

Answer 1

To be honest... NOT!

A hundred bucks a week just won't cut it. Does the housing include meals? I kinda doubt it. So a hundred bucks will get you just about a fast food diet if you scrimp.

The actual cost of living isn't much different than any metro- plex. But...

Areas of Alaska are significantly higher than others. The major cities of Anchorage and Fairbanks, are similar to any big city, but when you get into remote Alaska, the cost goes up, and up, and well, up.

Keep in mind, Alaska is more than twice as big as Texas, with a population only larger than Wyoming.

So to really pin your question, where in Alaska is this offer? Regardless, at only a hundred bucks a week? Could you do a hundred bucks a week at your hometown?

Answer 2

Here's a link to a pdf July 2006 article on the cost of living in Alaska relative to the rest of the US:

http://www.labor.state.ak.us/research/col/col.pdf