Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairbanks, AK and Ridgecrest, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Ridgecrest, CA: $2,432 a month against $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

145

Cost of Living Index in Fairbanks, AK
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Fairbanks, AK Living Index
119

Cost of Living Index in Ridgecrest, CA
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Ridgecrest, CA Living Index

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Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

Ridgecrest, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,432

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fairbanks, AK and in Ridgecrest, CA

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

A single person spends $3,000 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $2,432 in Ridgecrest, CA, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK $3,000
Ridgecrest, CA $2,432

A couple spends around $4,408 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $3,820 in Ridgecrest, CA, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK $4,408
Ridgecrest, CA $3,820

A family of three spends $5,816 per month in Fairbanks, AK vs $5,208 in Ridgecrest, CA, rent included.

Fairbanks, AK $5,816
Ridgecrest, CA $5,208

Fairbanks, AK costs about 23% more than Ridgecrest, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fairbanks, AK and Ridgecrest, CA sit above the global median – Fairbanks, AK by 121%, Ridgecrest, CA by 79%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$22.06 $22.06

13.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.1 $99.1

$88.3 $88.3

12.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.27 $15.27

$15.22 $15.22

0.33%

Cappuccino

$6.07 $6.07

$6.05 $6.05

0.33%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$2.95 $2.95

-9.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.98 $1.98

3.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.83 $6.83

$7.81 $7.81

-12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.07 $10.07

$10.97 $10.97

-8.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.04 $1.04

8.65%

White Bread (500g)

$5.38 $5.38

$4.70 $4.70

14.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$7.22 $7.22

-33.80%

Eggs

$4.36 $4.36

$5.15 $5.15

-15.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.93 $21.93

$19.46 $19.46

12.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$14.52 $14.52

-40.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.87 $20.87

$21.78 $21.78

-4.18%

Apples (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$8.21 $8.21

-8.16%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 $2.17

$3.29 $3.29

-34.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.03 $6.03

$6.13 $6.13

-1.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.24 $6.24

$10.15 $10.15

-38.52%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$8.44 $8.44

-57.70%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$4.90 $4.90

-24.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$3.44 $3.44

-19.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.67 $2.67

-24.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.10 $12.10

$11.80 $11.80

2.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.20 $12.20

$16.09 $16.09

-24.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.22 $2.22

-20.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.63 $4.63

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 $1.52

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.60 $40.60

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.92 $2.92

23.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.54 $2.54

-14.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$44.97 $44.97

$59.5 $59.5

-24.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.53 $1.53

-16.34%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$27.5K $27.5K

-5.48%

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

$24.7K $24.7K

$26.8K $26.8K

-7.90%

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

$212 $212

$249 $249

-14.61%

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

$61.3 $61.3

$74.8 $74.8

-18.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$139 $139

$49.42 $49.42

182.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.0 $98.0

$31.88 $31.88

207.47%

Cinema Ticket

$18.10 $18.10

$9.37 $9.37

93.17%

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

$1,845 $1,845

$981 $981

88.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K $37.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.4 $59.4

$85.7 $85.7

-30.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.78 $39.78

$45.19 $45.19

-11.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 $120

$79.4 $79.4

51.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$119 $119

$132 $132

-9.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,612 $1,612

$888 $888

81.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,381 $1,381

$891 $891

55.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,580 $2,580

$1,903 $1,903

35.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,230 $2,230

$1,764 $1,764

26.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,244 $2,244

$13.3K $13.3K

-83.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,000 $2,000

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,941 $3,941

$5,384 $5,384

-26.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.71

6.75

-0.59%

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

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: October 20, 2026

Last update for Ridgecrest, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fairbanks, AK

$1.4K 46%

Ridgecrest, CA

$891 36.6% 35.5% $490

Groceries & Markets

Fairbanks, AK

$466 * 15.5%

Ridgecrest, CA

$573 23.6% 22.9% $107

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fairbanks, AK

$413 13.8%

Ridgecrest, CA

$373 15.3% 9.7% $40

Eating Out

Fairbanks, AK

$393 13.1%

Ridgecrest, CA

$375 15.4% 4.4% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Fairbanks, AK

$152 5.1%

Ridgecrest, CA

$154 6.3% 1.1% $1.7

Sport & Entertainment

Fairbanks, AK

$134 4.5%

Ridgecrest, CA

$51 2.1% 62.3% $84

Getting Around

Fairbanks, AK

$61 2%

Ridgecrest, CA

$16 * 0.6% 74.4% $45

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,612 in Fairbanks, AK versus $888 in Ridgecrest, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 37% higher in Ridgecrest, CA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Fairbanks, AK versus $88.0 in Ridgecrest, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $466 in Fairbanks, AK vs $573 in Ridgecrest, CA – so Fairbanks, AK wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 Ridgecrest, CA

🕒 Local time

23:51 11:51 PM

00:51 12:51 AM

1 h ahead of Fairbanks, AK

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,515

27,959

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Fairbanks, AK Ridgecrest, CA 3,810 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Fairbanks, AK
Ridgecrest, CA

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

Fairbanks, AK vs Ridgecrest, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Fairbanks, AK is pricier by about 23%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,500 per month in Fairbanks, AK and $3,648 in Ridgecrest, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ridgecrest, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK and $2,432 in Ridgecrest, CA. That's a gap of about 23%.

Kindergarten costs $1,845 per month in Fairbanks, AK and $981 in Ridgecrest, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Ridgecrest, CA, where all-in costs run around $2,432, than in Fairbanks, AK at $3,000. In Ridgecrest, CA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fairbanks, AK it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ridgecrest, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Ridgecrest, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fairbanks, AK makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.