I was forwarded a job opportunity in Anchorage on tuesday. I applied not really thinking I would hear back. Well, today I got an email saying they wanted to do a phone interview. Now I'm trying to decide whether I want to move to Anchorage.

I currently have a job that is very similar to the one in Anchorage.

I have a few questions.

I looked up on a cost of living calculator that I would have to make $69k a year in AK to match my current salary (about $50k).

Does that seem right, is it really that much more expensive?

What kind of hunting can I expect? Is there any big game hunting that I could do yearly without having to charter a plane or boat?

How expensive is it to fly to the lower 48 on average? Say Seattle for instance?

Thanks.

Anchorage?...is that south of the park? Anchrorage is a 2 hour drive from Alaska...ps:I'm sure some real help will be right along.

Anchorage is the only city in AK that they publish a CPI number for. Compare that to where you're from in UT for a start.

$600-650 R/T from Seattle to Los Anchorage.

We need some Utards up here!!!

Cost of living starts to add up if you want to travel a lot in America. I think the day to day costs are similar to say.... Seattle, which is likely more expensive than Utah. Housing is expensive in both places. You don't pay state sales tax in AK, but you will have some serious property tax if you buy a house in Anchorage. Your numbers don't seem out of line, but I've never lived in Utah.

Use that number to your advantage if/when negotiating your pay.

It will cost you some money to get here. Mention that as well, cause you won't get if you don't ask.

You can hunt moose, sheep, two different color of bears, goats, caribou from the road system without drawing a tag...for now. Hunting is hunting, not necessarily killing. You will likely have company unless you work your butt off. Your odds will go up when you fly, and "from the road system" may be 800 miles from home. A two day drive on either end of the hunt cuts into hunting time, and your fuel costs will add up.

Wow that seems high on tickets. We skipped last fall, but the one before was about 550 RT from Austin TX to ANC

When I was flying in and out it was cheaper to fly to Minneapolis. But that was a few years ago.

If you decide to move here it gets expensive if you spend all your money and leave time flying home for the family, yours and the wife. A lot of family's don't realize that. I would factor that in to your salary.

Your COL calculation seems right on.

Airfare has been going up and stands to jump again after the latest merger if we can believe the news reports.

After moving from the Upper Michigan the prices of groceries, car insurance, rent/real estate among others were noticeably higher.

If your job opportunity is connected to the Anchorage Municipal government - forget it.

Remember cost of living calculators might not factor in what it really costs to enjoy an area. $70k wouldn't be too bad for a single guy, but for a family you'd just be getting by, not able to afford to enjoy the state. As someone once said, it's expensive because its worth it. Also salaries in many fields are pretty good, so if you get a good offer, you might want to take ad a tags of the opportunity

Cost of living is definitely higher, especially housing. A $150K house in SLC will cost you twice that here in Anchorage. However, no state income tax and no sales tax in Anchorage helps offset the hight COL.

If you're young and in shape, there's plenty of walk-in hunting to be had. If you're fat and old like me, then you will need to spend some money to fly-in.

If you're a fisherman, there's world class fishing within a couple of hours of Anchorage that you can drive to.

I heard that place will be closed this summer.

What merger rumors have you heard?

I've only visited AK, but did move North from the Midwest a few years ago. Yes, I get nailed on the rising cost of gas ($6 a gallon), housing (houses start at 400k), food, etc etc but I don't regret experiencing the North for a second.

I'm young, single and loving it. Your life situation will likely dictate if it makes sense to cast off and explore the small amount of northern wilderness this world has left. It won't last forever.

And "home", however you define it, will be there if you ever want to move back.

I think he is talking about the American/US Airways merger.

I do know that Delta is gonna be adding on ANC/SEA flights and ANC/LAX flights. With compitition, maybe prices will go down. Probably not but im hoping.

Thanks Joel. That's what I figured.

About half the state population lives within an hour drive of Anchorage. This upsets people a great deal when they first move up here and come to the realization that the post cards lied.

You can join the masses and subsistence hunt for caribou in Unit 13 every year for the cost of gas, and a bullet or two. No ATV or airplane needed. Just patience with the crowds. You won't need a tag for grizzly in that unit, but you will need OTC tags for sheep, black bear and moose. Finding a legal bull moose could cost you a lot of time. A legal sheep will cost you a lot of boot leather.

And with $5 and a bow safety cert or muzzle loader safety cert along with some luck of the draw you can bowhunt moose in Anchorage. Better be lucky though.

You can spot and stalk black bears from the road system easy enough. Getting to them is another issue.

At $69K per year you will be looking to live in a two bedroom apartment with a room mate, or live in your truck, unless you have a 50% down payment and find a decent house to buy. There are a few stripped forclosures showing up for sale that need more than a little work, but their price can be dropped way below market value if you push hard enough.

That is startling. Quite a far cry from when I lived up there, but they say the times are a changin'.
I mean we are talking 5750 a month (Before deductions, health insurance, retirement etc.)
I'm confident I could live on near 70k a year up there like a king. Maybe not quite home ownership right away, but rollin' in style.

Also, you'll hunt/fish as a non-res for a year.

Living in AK can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be. That's my opinion. If you are cheap, and your family likes fish/wild game, you chop your own firewood, you don't need fancy clothes/cars, etc.. you can live like a king on not much. But, if your family wants the good life, then you'll pay for it..

That's within a couple of bucks of how much I was making when I moved up 16 years ago. With a family of four I was anything but living large, though we were able to buy a house. House prices have doubled in the past 16 years.

Mortgage and utilities will be a minimum of $2k/month (assuming $300k house 20% down), and renting a 1/2 decent house will be $2k plus utilities.

Avoid foreclosures. The only ones that stay on the market any amount of time will cost you more than a house in decent shape once you've fixed the foreclousure. There are plenty of savvy investors waiting to buy any decent foreclosure the second it hits the market. And to top it all off you'll be spending your spare time and money for a few years fixing it up, which is also why you should avoid any older house no matter how "updated" it is.

"At $69K per year you will be looking to live in a two bedroom apartment with a room mate, or live in your truck, unless you have a 50% down payment and find a decent house to buy. There are a few stripped forclosures showing up for sale that need more than a little work, but their price can be dropped way below market value if you push hard enough."

Really....live in your truck? I made much less than the quoted $69K and lived in a nice 1 bedroom log cabin. I'm guessing your lifestyle is much more expensive.

Yea...that's every man's dream. Even better is finding a woman who will put up with you in a one bedroom cabin. Most guys could live really cheap if they weren't trying to make a woman happy.

The one bedroom was big compared to the place I'm in now, 12x16 cabin with a loft, haul your own water and a beautiful outhouse.

Dang, and this was going to be my summer to catch a fish!

I know a place.

That ain't no lie, podner!

Pray tell?

PM sent.

+1

I decided to not do the interview. I guess if 70k isn't enough to live comfortably up there it isn't worth it. I think my family and I could love Alaska, but like others have said, you need the money to do it.

That's quite a shame, as there is nothing like living in Alaska. But everyone has different needs and family does come first.

Nothing like making life decision based on some half-drunk posts on the campfire... (grin)

Carry on.

Conserving game species the Campfire way

only half? Somebody's sandbagging.

I guess it depends on how badly one wants to live here. often times that step opens other doors.

I don't believe the OP had much intent on making the move. Anyone truly intrested in living in AK would have done more research. On top of that if you really want it you will make it happen if that means getting a second job or whatever. Its not for everyone and that is why its still the last frontier.

For a lot people, dreaming about what they most want to do is better than doing it...........

406 SBC I tend to agree with you. I always hear excuses why not instead of doing. You only get one chance at life, if you want it you better get after it.

You feller are able to divine intent through the internet. Impressive!

Its an easy skill to acruire after years of dealing with people in this topic. Specially when you go thru the hoops to land them a job before they even reach AK.

I can assure both of you sirs (Ironbender and Montana) imma comin'

Might not be in 2013, but I am coming.


Only 2% of Americans have their goals on paper; they are the most successful as well.

This may surprise some of you, but living in Alaska isn't the end all goal of my life. If it was, I would have pursued the job further. I didn't give up on a lifetime goal based on 20 posts on the internet!

My goals as far as working and location are: Living in a free state, have lots of hunting opportunities, make a decent wage, live close to family. All of which I have now already.

I weighed my options and staying in Utah was the better one. The only thing that AK had over UT (for me) was different types of hunting. All the other "goals" I listed were better met in Utah. Not to mention the fact that I may not have been able to hunt much more in AK anyways due to money.

You only have to make yourself happy. Do what works for you.

Good luck.

I can ride my wheeler, sled (snowmobile for you lower 48 folks) anywhere I want not get hassled. I can go caribou hunting right now if I wanted to.. What you guys in the lower 48 hunting right now? Me and my wife works with our combined income 109,000 we live a pretty comfortable life I haven't bought hamburger or steaks in months cause we have a freezer full of moose and caribou... I love Alaska and I intend on retiring here its the last frontier!

If the choice was between Anc. and Utah you made the right decision.
Your hunting, fishing and outdoor enjoyment opportunities are probably better and way less hard to get to. A brookie on a dry fly way up in the mountains is way more enjoyable than fishing for salmon with lots of people on either side of you.

Good luck and enjoy your family...

I was down at the river yesterday and didn't see anybody

SSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHH

Suppose I've seen both sides of the coin, in Pierre, SD and Anchorage, AK.

Hiked back the Russian river and fished where its so packed, a schmuck will step in your bootprints when you turn around to deal with a fish. Same thing in Pierre, SD.

Excellent experiences as well in both AK and SD for private, quiet fishing. Just you and your thoughts out there; a big salmon doesn't hurt though.

Not sure how I lived in Anchorage as an E5 with 3 dependents, cuz I surely made a lot less than that.

That rank and 3 dependents would easily put you over $50K a year at todays wages as well as free medical for you and your family including free dental for yourself. Add a couple of more thousand in income because some of the money earned is not subjected to Federal income tax. Then dont forget to add the 4 dividend checks to the total as well. And least we forget buying all your food at the Commissary where it is sold at cost.

Three of those dividend checks aren't his. So thats not his to facture in. COLA, VHA, and BEQ/BOQ is tax free whoopie. Now add that to his actual housing cost. I can't speak for now but when I was in, the Commissary didn't sell much of anything at cost. Matter of fact for me it wasn't worth the drive to shop the commissary. I doubt highly E-5 Base pay is even close to $50K.

I didnt say base pay. But with base pay, HOLA, COLA, BAS, etc and an E5 over 4 with 3 dependents is making $50K. Commissary is required by law to sell at cost, that is why they tack on the small surcharge at the end of the bill.
After 21 years in the USAF I know the pay structure and how well our GI's are paid once they reach E5 with dependents.

Never heard of HOLA or BAS must be an Air Force thing. I can assure you that the Commissary's where I was stationed did not sell at cost. But that was also almost 20 years ago when I got out. You certianly did say add three dividend checks to his income. Maybe you steal from your wife and kids but I don't and I don't believe most do. Bottomline is an E-5 is underpaid.

It might at todays wages, but it surely didn't when I left North Seattle (aka Anchorage) in 2002.

Please select your paygrade, years in service, location and if you have dependents. This tool will show you the total of your BASIC, BAS, BAH and COLA PER MONTH

$2529.90
(BASIC)+
$348.44
(BAS)+
$2097
(BAH)+
$0
(COLA)=
$4975.34
per month*This tool does not calculate OVERSEAS COLA. Please visit this link and add the amount to your total.

4975 x 12 = $59,700 and that does not take into consideration how much of the money is not taxed. Don't believe me? Go to this web site and punch in the same numbers, E5 with 4 years service with dependents living in Anchorage. Doesnt matter what branch of service, pay charts are the same.

http://www.armytimes.com/money/pay_charts/

I'm not arguing with you, just stating a fact about when I lived there.

I have a co-worker that is retiring from the military, that has done extensive COL research. He needs to make 20% minimum to maintain his current lifestyle here. I've seen his research, and it's indepth to say the least. That being said he has applied for 40+ jobs all over the US with two call backs, one is Barstow, CA, and the other in MA. I moved here with the expectations for AK being the last place I would ever want to live. Well, while the wife could make good money here, Los Anchorage is not where I want to live the rest of my life, though the rest of AK is awesome, just are few and far between outside of Anchorage.

I can tell you for a fact that the commisary has the cheapest groceries in town, I know because I shop there and at one time, I worked there as a meat cutter. The 5% surcharge is to help maintain the facilities and make improvements.

if you're looking for alaska, i think anchorage will disappoint you. thats where everybody who goes to alaska goes. its not bad, but not worth the cost, weather or lack of sunlight.

I lived and worked up in Anchorage Alaska in 2007 and 2008. My wages came to $54 per hour with $223 Per deum per day. While up there I found lots of rifle ranges to shoot at so naturally I bought about 8 guns while there. Got to watch Sarah Palin shoot trap, the lady is A Rated I under stand.I have written a few stories of my time in the midnight sun.
Sarge257

Yeah, what he said, stay away from Anchorage, far, far away.........lol.

I plan to!

"And if you have to go...make sure to wear the speedo."

Poet and didn't know it?

Dat's the only way I flies!

Meat wise, yes! Dairy, forget it. At the beginning of Feb, milk was $6.00 a gallon, Target in Tikatanu had it for $3.39 a gallon. Heck, for .49 cents more at Costco, I could get two gallons. I did notice after pay day though the milk was down to under $5 a gallon. The ground beef of late form the commissary has been horrible, it's more of a 65/35 than it is 85/15, I have never had to drain grease twice out of any ground hamburger meat I have cooked.

I have never seen milk for $6 a gallon at the commisary nor I have seen it at $6 per gallon anywhere else in SC Alaska. It's usually a tad under $3 or a tad over, i'm talking about 2% milk by the way.

As for the ground beef at the commisary, I don't buy that stuff for a reason. If I want good ground beef, i'll buy a chuck roast or chunk of sirloin and have the meat dept grind it for me.

The produce at the commisary leaves much to be desired too and we usually buy it in town.


Eidted to add: Now that I think about it, we don't buy milk by the gallon, only by the half gallon so my bad. I honestly don't know what the price of a gallon of milk is at the commisary.

Cracks me up, I hear so many people deride Anchorage. Every single one of 'em certainly know how to find their way here. They certainly love the barges coming through here. They love the hospitals, Costco, and so much else. Just a thought.

It's not the cost of living in Alaska, it's the cost of playing!

Not much of a thought. Anchorage still sucks. I work there but still hate the city.

Nobody like the federal govt but we still have to deal with them. Same thing.

Being that the Feds are the largest employer in the state, I'd say yes, we have to deal with them. But, that doesn't mean capitulating our resource management policies to Federal authority, though that becomes more difficult with each passing year.

I have two young boys that can put away some cereal. The wife went to the commissary on Sunday, and stood in line for an hour to check out. She forgot it was a pay day weekend.

We never shop at the commisary on a military payday just for that reason. I've seen the line go all the way around past the meat dept!

And that is the difference between ANC and places more Alaska-ish. We've paid $6.95 for milk - half gallons- for so long that I worry every time I buy that it will have gone up. Have no idea what ground suet....er, beef goes for out here. We have to add fat/oil to any meat we cook.