Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellingham, WA and Wasilla, AK

For one person, living is cheaper in Wasilla, AK: $2,896 a month against $3,010 in Bellingham, WA, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

145

Cost of Living Index in Bellingham, WA
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Bellingham, WA Living Index
140

Cost of Living Index in Wasilla, AK
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Wasilla, AK Living Index

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Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,010

/mo nomad

Wasilla, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$2,896

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bellingham, WA and in Wasilla, AK

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

A single person spends $3,010 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $2,896 in Wasilla, AK, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $3,010
Wasilla, AK $2,896

A couple spends around $4,448 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $4,119 in Wasilla, AK, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $4,448
Wasilla, AK $4,119

A family of three spends $5,886 per month in Bellingham, WA vs $5,343 in Wasilla, AK, rent included.

Bellingham, WA $5,886
Wasilla, AK $5,343

Bellingham, WA costs about 4% more than Wasilla, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bellingham, WA and Wasilla, AK sit above the global median – Bellingham, WA by 121%, Wasilla, AK by 113%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.70 $24.70

$24.52 $24.52

0.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

0.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.26 $13.26

$12.03 $12.03

10.22%

Cappuccino

$5.94 $5.94

$3.92 $3.92

51.53%

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

$3.16 $3.16

$2.01 $2.01

57.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.04 $2.04

7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.62 $5.62

22.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.90 $6.90

$7.77 $7.77

-11.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.23 $1.23

-8.13%

White Bread (500g)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.10 $3.10

23.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.91 $4.91

$6.31 $6.31

-22.19%

Eggs

$4.96 $4.96

$3.27 $3.27

51.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.80 $18.80

$13.75 $13.75

36.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.61 $18.61

$10.21 $10.21

82.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.00 $23.00

$15.66 $15.66

46.87%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$8.02 $8.02

-35.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.21 $2.21

-14.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$3.83 $3.83

38.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.32 $6.32

$4.32 $4.32

46.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$2.58 $2.58

39.92%

Onion (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.19 $3.19

-0.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.74 $2.74

-6.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.25 $2.25

9.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.44 $12.44

$12.85 $12.85

-3.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$17.92 $17.92

-16.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.70 $1.70

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 $5.74

$3.45 $3.45

66.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.96 $1.96

1.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.51 $30.51

$61.1 $61.1

-50.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.76 $2.76

-2.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.69 $1.69

0.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.27 $30.27

$38.01 $38.01

-20.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.00 $1.00

44.00%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$25.2K $25.2K

9.30%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$24.8K $24.8K

3.68%

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

$217 $217

$273 $273

-20.43%

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

$57.4 $57.4

$47.81 $47.81

19.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.3 $81.3

$137 $137

-40.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$62.0 $62.0

$86.6 $86.6

-28.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.82 $14.82

$34.76 $34.76

-57.36%

Cinema Ticket

$18.31 $18.31

$8.32 $8.32

120.07%

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

$1,125 $1,125

$1,266 $1,266

-11.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K $31.7K

$10.5K $10.5K

200.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.5 $80.5

$48.84 $48.84

64.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.32 $28.32

$46.39 $46.39

-38.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$79.7 $79.7

36.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$90.7 $90.7

64.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,707 $1,707

$1,412 $1,412

20.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,458 $1,458

$1,381 $1,381

5.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,598 $2,598

$2,039 $2,039

27.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,347 $2,347

$2,022 $2,022

16.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,441 $4,441

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,925 $3,925

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,391 $4,391

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.49

2.93%

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

Last update for Bellingham, WA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Wasilla, AK: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bellingham, WA

$1.5K 48.4%

Wasilla, AK

$1.4K 47.7% 5.2% $76

Groceries & Markets

Bellingham, WA

$505 16.8%

Wasilla, AK

$415 14.3% 17.9% $90

Eating Out

Bellingham, WA

$378 12.6%

Wasilla, AK

$339 11.7% 10.3% $39

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellingham, WA

$356 11.8%

Wasilla, AK

$458 15.8% 28.7% $102

Clothing & Footwear

Bellingham, WA

$165 5.5%

Wasilla, AK

$120 4.1% 27.6% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Bellingham, WA

$99 3.3%

Wasilla, AK

$103 3.6% 4.6% $4.6

Getting Around

Bellingham, WA

$50 1.7%

Wasilla, AK

$80 2.8% 61.3% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,707 in Bellingham, WA versus $1,412 in Wasilla, AK. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Bellingham, WA versus $101 in Wasilla, AK. Groceries tell a different story – $505 in Bellingham, WA vs $415 in Wasilla, AK – so Wasilla, AK wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellingham, WA

🇺🇸 Wasilla, AK

🕒 Local time

13:00 1:00 PM

12:00 12:00 PM

1 h behind Bellingham, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

91,482

9,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bellingham, WA Wasilla, AK 2,200 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Bellingham, WA
Wasilla, AK

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

Bellingham, WA vs Wasilla, AK: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bellingham, WA costs about 4% more than Wasilla, AK, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,515 per month in Bellingham, WA and $4,344 in Wasilla, AK. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Wasilla, AK, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,412 there versus $1,707 in Bellingham, WA.

Public transport costs about 50% less in Bellingham, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 22% more in Bellingham, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,010 in Bellingham, WA and $2,896 in Wasilla, AK. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Bellingham, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,896 in Wasilla, AK to $3,010 in Bellingham, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.