Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Anchorage, AK and Pago Pago

For one person, living is cheaper in Pago Pago: $1,456 a month against $3,251 in Anchorage, AK, rent and utilities included – about $21,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

159

Cost of Living Index in Anchorage, AK
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Anchorage, AK Living Index
71

Cost of Living Index in Pago Pago
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Pago Pago Living Index

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Anchorage, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,251

/mo nomad

Pago Pago

🇦🇸 American Samoa

$1,456

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Anchorage, AK and in Pago Pago

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Anchorage, AK and in Pago Pago actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,251 in Anchorage, AK versus $1,456 in Pago Pago.

Anchorage, AK $3,251
Pago Pago $1,456

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,799 in Anchorage, AK versus $2,262 in Pago Pago.

Anchorage, AK $4,799
Pago Pago $2,262

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,346 in Anchorage, AK versus $3,068 in Pago Pago.

Anchorage, AK $6,346
Pago Pago $3,068

Living in Anchorage, AK is roughly 123% more expensive than in Pago Pago, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Anchorage, AK 143% above, Pago Pago 9% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$36.18 $36.18

180.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 $14.88

$10.07 $10.07

47.77%

Cappuccino

$6.80 $6.80

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.01 $1.01

153.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.73 $9.73

$3.89 $3.89

150.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$2.59 $2.59

-54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$4.80 $4.80

$2.82 $2.82

70.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$4.20 $4.20

50.71%

Eggs

$4.32 $4.32

$4.63 $4.63

-6.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.83 $13.83

$10.03 $10.03

37.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.52 $12.52

$9.83 $9.83

27.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.84 $21.84

$11.47 $11.47

90.41%

Apples (1kg)

$7.99 $7.99

$6.15 $6.15

29.92%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.02 $1.02

121.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$2.93 $2.93

90.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$4.02 $4.02

54.98%

Potato (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.92 $3.92

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$4.06 $4.06

-24.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.98 $1.98

39.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$2.02 $2.02

16.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.79 $12.79

$11.49 $11.49

11.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.74 $17.74

$14.79 $14.79

19.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.99 $0.99

70.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.37 $3.37

$2.88 $2.88

17.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.03 $2.03

-3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.9 $60.9

$124 $124

-50.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.80 $2.80

$5.07 $5.07

-44.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.05 $2.05

-8.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.99 $41.99

$29.49 $29.49

42.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$1.36 $1.36

-4.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.5K $33.5K

$29.7K $29.7K

12.85%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.7K $25.7K

$20.2K $20.2K

27.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$409 $409

$404 $404

1.42%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$90.2 $90.2

$30.11 $30.11

199.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$137 $137

$76.3 $76.3

79.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$89.3 $89.3

$49.35 $49.35

80.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.86 $39.86

$10.06 $10.06

296.22%

Cinema Ticket

$15.28 $15.28

$9.22 $9.22

65.73%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,227 $1,227

$989 $989

24.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.6K $10.6K

$9,838 $9,838

7.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.59 $49.59

$69.4 $69.4

-28.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.89 $45.89

$50.3 $50.3

-8.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$81.3 $81.3

37.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 $122

$102 $102

19.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,788 $1,788

$327 $327

447.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,410 $1,410

$201 $201

600.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,845 $2,845

$884 $884

221.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,437 $2,437

$707 $707

244.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,006 $4,006

$18.1K $18.1K

-77.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,789 $2,789

$10.7K $10.7K

-73.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,681 $4,681

$1,217 $1,217

284.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

116.33%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Anchorage, AK: October 3, 2026

Last update for Pago Pago: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Anchorage, AK

$1.4K 42.9%

Pago Pago

$201 13.7% 85.7% $1.2K

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Anchorage, AK

$637 19.3%

Pago Pago

$510 34.7% 19.9% $127

Groceries & Markets

Anchorage, AK

$484 14.7%

Pago Pago

$364 24.8% 24.8% $120

Eating Out

Anchorage, AK

$411 12.5%

Pago Pago

$42 * 2.9% 89.8% $369

Clothing & Footwear

Anchorage, AK

$148 4.5%

Pago Pago

$136 9.3% 8% $12

Sport & Entertainment

Anchorage, AK

$120 3.6%

Pago Pago

$68 4.6% 43.4% $52

Getting Around

Anchorage, AK

$81 2.5%

Pago Pago

$147 10% 82% $66

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,788 in Anchorage, AK and $327 in Pago Pago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Anchorage, AK pays 284% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $102 in Anchorage, AK vs $36.00 in Pago Pago for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $484 vs $364 per month, with Pago Pago cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Anchorage, AK

🇦🇸 Pago Pago

🕒 Local time

23:44 11:44 PM

20:44 8:44 PM

3 h behind Anchorage, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

289,600

11,500 Capital

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Anchorage, AK Pago Pago 8,640 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Anchorage, AK
Pago Pago

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Anchorage, AK vs Pago Pago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Pago Pago wins on cost – living expenses run 123% lower than in Anchorage, AK. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Pago Pago the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 284% higher in Anchorage, AK, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,788 in Anchorage, AK versus $327 in Pago Pago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pago Pago – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $102 in Anchorage, AK. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,251 per month in Anchorage, AK versus $1,456 in Pago Pago – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,456 in Pago Pago versus $3,251 in Anchorage, AK, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Pago Pago but tight or insufficient in Anchorage, AK. The gap between the two cities makes Pago Pago the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Pago Pago delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,456 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Pago Pago hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Anchorage, AK and Pago Pago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Pago Pago gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Anchorage, AK. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.