Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

119

Cost of Living Index in Ridgecrest, CA
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Ridgecrest, CA Living Index
145

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

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Ridgecrest, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,432

/mo nomad

Fairbanks, AK

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ridgecrest, CA is about 19% cheaper than Fairbanks, AK, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.06 $22.06

$25.10 $25.10

-12.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.3 $88.3

$99.1 $99.1

-10.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.22 $15.22

$15.27 $15.27

-0.33%

Cappuccino

$6.05 $6.05

$6.07 $6.07

-0.33%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$2.68 $2.68

10.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.04 $2.04

-2.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$6.83 $6.83

14.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.97 $10.97

$10.07 $10.07

8.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.13 $1.13

-7.96%

White Bread (500g)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.38 $5.38

-12.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$4.78 $4.78

51.05%

Eggs

$5.15 $5.15

$4.36 $4.36

18.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.46 $19.46

$21.93 $21.93

-11.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.52 $14.52

$8.66 $8.66

67.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.78 $21.78

$20.87 $20.87

4.36%

Apples (1kg)

$8.21 $8.21

$7.54 $7.54

8.89%

Banana (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.17 $2.17

51.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.13 $6.13

$6.03 $6.03

1.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$10.15 $10.15

$6.24 $6.24

62.66%

Potato (1kg)

$8.44 $8.44

$3.57 $3.57

136.41%

Onion (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$3.69 $3.69

32.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.44 $3.44

$2.78 $2.78

23.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.02 $2.02

32.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.80 $11.80

$12.10 $12.10

-2.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.09 $16.09

$12.20 $12.20

31.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.77 $1.77

25.42%

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)

$2.92 $2.92

$3.60 $3.60

-18.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.16 $2.16

17.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$59.5 $59.5

$44.97 $44.97

32.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.28 $1.28

19.53%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$25.9K $25.9K

5.80%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$24.7K $24.7K

8.58%

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

$249 $249

$212 $212

17.10%

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

$74.8 $74.8

$61.3 $61.3

22.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.42 $49.42

$139 $139

-64.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.88 $31.88

$98.0 $98.0

-67.48%

Cinema Ticket

$9.37 $9.37

$18.10 $18.10

-48.23%

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

$981 $981

$1,845 $1,845

-46.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K $37.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.7 $85.7

$59.4 $59.4

44.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.19 $45.19

$39.78 $39.78

13.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.4 $79.4

$120 $120

-33.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$132 $132

$119 $119

10.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$888 $888

$1,612 $1,612

-44.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$891 $891

$1,381 $1,381

-35.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,903 $1,903

$2,580 $2,580

-26.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,764 $1,764

$2,230 $2,230

-20.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.3K $13.3K

$2,244 $2,244

492.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,000 $2,000

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,384 $5,384

$3,941 $3,941

36.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

6.71

0.60%

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

Last update for Ridgecrest, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Fairbanks, AK: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ridgecrest, CA

$891 36.6%

Fairbanks, AK

$1.4K 46% 55% $490

Groceries & Markets

Ridgecrest, CA

$573 23.6%

Fairbanks, AK

$466 * 15.5% 18.6% $107

Eating Out

Ridgecrest, CA

$375 15.4%

Fairbanks, AK

$393 13.1% 4.6% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ridgecrest, CA

$373 15.3%

Fairbanks, AK

$413 13.8% 10.8% $40

Clothing & Footwear

Ridgecrest, CA

$154 6.3%

Fairbanks, AK

$152 5.1% 1.1% $1.7

Sport & Entertainment

Ridgecrest, CA

$51 2.1%

Fairbanks, AK

$134 4.5% 165% $84

Getting Around

Ridgecrest, CA

$16 * 0.6%

Fairbanks, AK

$61 2% 290% $45

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $888 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $1,612 in Fairbanks, AK. 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 $88.0 in Ridgecrest, CA versus $99.0 in Fairbanks, AK. Groceries tell a different story – $573 in Ridgecrest, CA vs $466 in Fairbanks, AK – so Fairbanks, AK wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Ridgecrest, CA

🇺🇸 Fairbanks, AK

🕒 Local time

22:02 10:02 PM

21:02 9:02 PM

1 h behind Ridgecrest, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

27,959

32,515

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

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

From you

Ridgecrest, CA
Fairbanks, 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

Ridgecrest, CA vs Fairbanks, AK: 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 $3,648 per month in Ridgecrest, CA and $4,500 in Fairbanks, AK. 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 $2,432 in Ridgecrest, CA and $3,000 in Fairbanks, AK. That's a gap of about 23%.

Kindergarten costs $981 per month in Ridgecrest, CA and $1,845 in Fairbanks, AK. 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.