Question 1

Is Anchorage or Des Moines cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Des Moines, IA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $579/month less than in Anchorage, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,631/mo in Anchorage versus $1,318/mo in Des Moines.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Anchorage vs Des Moines?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $73,500/year before tax in Anchorage, AK and $64,500/year in Des Moines, IA — a difference of about $9,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Anchorage or Des Moines cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Des Moines, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $10,746/month in Anchorage and $8,227/month in Des Moines, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Anchorage or Des Moines?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Des Moines costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Anchorage57	Des Moines69
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,187	$3,608
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$10,746	$8,227
Salary for comfort	$73,500/yr	$64,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,631	$1,318
Median home value	$375,900	$183,700
Median household income	$98,152	$63,966
Unemployment	3.6%	3.5%
Housing score	78	84
Jobs score	87	84
Safety score	16	30
Climate score	35	81
Amenities score	28	38
Population	289.1K	212.5K
Summer high / winter low	68° / 9°	86° / 14°

Anchorage, AK vs Des Moines, IA