Moving to
and the Cost of living
in Kotzebue?

- Wikipedia entry for Kotzebue -

Alcohol info and Limits in a Damp/Dry Bush Alaska Region

General Expenses Comparison Summer 2007 / Winter 2010 / Spring 2011 Rents: $650-850 (efficiency) / $1,000 $1,300; $1,100 to $1,500/Month(2 Bedroom) / $1,100 to $2,000(3 Bedroom) KEA Electric: $50-$300/month / $8 to $400 $0.245 per kwh w/Power Cost Equalization (would be $0.397 per kwh without PCE) Fuel/Stove Oil: $5.99 per gallon delivered ($5.91 per gallon over 200 gallons) City Water/Sewer: $138/month Flat per household Gasoline: $7.25/Gallon at Pumps / OTZ Phone: $25.00/month + OTZ Internet DSL: $30-$65/Month GCI Cable: $60-$90/Month Post Office Box: Free (No street delivery) Cab Fare: $5.00 per person anywhere. $5.00 per stop. Discounts for Kids and Seniors. Flights: Anchorage (Alaska Airlines) $417 R/T 3 week advanced, $647 R/T Under 1 week notice (Watch for specials) Fairbanks (ERA/Frontier Alaska) w/tax $417 R/T / $548 //now up to $586/$794 Alaska Airlines allows (flights inside the state) 150lbs (3 bags x up to 50lbs) of cargo per passenger. Era allows 70lbs. So families can pack quite a bit up on a normal flight, if they have storage. Cargo: $0.30-1.30/lb Fairbanks to Kotzebue; $0.25/lb Kotzebue to Fairbanks Barge in Summer: TBA General guess to bring your car/truck up: $1.00/lb ($2,000-$3,500) Check into Palletizing all your goods vs parcel post! Many people have 4 wheelers and snowmachines - but maintenance is expensive. Car Rental $145/day, $795/week, $2995/Month Hyundai Sante-Fe, F-250 or Suburban There are, however, cabs, and everywhere is really in walking distance.

Sample Food Prices Now with a comparison to Fairbanks, Alaska Grocery Store Prices Meats: 2006 Late 2007 Jan, 2009 May, 2011 Fairbanks Lean Ground Beef $3.39/lb $3.49/lb $3.48/lb $4.99/lb $3.29/lb Johnsonville Brats 19oz $8.39 $8.89 $9.39/lb $10.59/lb $3.29/lb Chicken Thighs (Previously Frozen(4+lb size)) $2.99/lb $2.99/lb $N/A/lb $3.39/lb $1.99/lb Hormel Canned Ham 3lb $13.49 $15.19 $15.49/lb $16.79/lb N/A Oscar Meyer 9oz Variety lunchmeat $5.29 $5.39 (8oz)$5.89/lb N/A N/A Fruits & Vegetables: 2006 Late 2007 Jan, 2009 May, 2011 Fairbanks Bananas $1.79/lb $1.99/lb $2.49 $2.89 $0.99/lb Oranges (Naval) $2.59/lb $2.69/lb $Sale 1.88/lb $2.69/lb $1.49/lb Carrots 2 lb bag $4.29 $4.59 $4.99 $3.69 $0.99/lb Delicious Apples $2.59/lb $2.99/lb $2.99 $2.99 $1.48/lb Iceberg Lettuce $2.79/lb $2.69/lb $2.39 $2.89 $1.28/lb Red Bell Pepper (Each) $3.99 $2.49 $3.59 $6.59/lb $2.49ea Potatoes 5lb bag $5.99 $6.99 $6.99 $7.89 $3.99/lb Potatoes Russet 8lb bag - $10.99 (10lb) $12.99 (10lb) $14.99 $5.29/lb Beverages: 2006 Late 2007 Jan, 2009 May, 2011 Fairbanks Milk Whole Gallon $7.49 $8.99 $9.69 $11.39 $3.69 Gatorade 32oz $3.75 $4.45 $4.69 $5.15 $1.37 Minute Maid Orange Juice 96oz $11.55 $12.85 $13.99 64oz $9.99 $7.79 Kool-Aid Drink mix 34qt $12.45 $13.15 $15.25 $13.49 $7.12 Tang Drink Mix 20qt $11.99 $12.49 (22qt)$11.99 (22qt)$15.15 $6.58 Name Brand Soda 12pk Cans $9.75 $10.65 $11.65 $13.99 $7.89/Sale $4.99 Store Brand Soda 12pk Cans - $5.99 N/A N/A $2.85 Canned Goods: 2006 Late 2007 Jan, 2009 May, 2011 Fairbanks Bartlett Pear Halves Canned (Store brand) 15.25oz $2.75 $3.19 $2.95 $2.99 $1.49 Bushes Baked Beans 28oz Can $3.89 $4.55 $5.85 $3.89 $2.67 Whole Kernel Corn (Store brand) 15.25oz can $2.25 $2.09 $2.55 $2.65 $0.69 Sliced Mushrooms Can 4oz $2.09 $1.39 $1.55 $2.05 $1.29 Del Monte Peas 15.25oz can $2.45 $2.19 $2.99 $2.99 $1.45 Nally Chili 15oz can $2.99 $3.79 $3.99 15oz $3.65 $1.99 Hormel Corned Beef 12oz Can $3.75 $3.85 $3.95 $ N/A Prego Sauce 26oz Jar $4.99 $5.85 (25.5oz) $6.99 (24oz) $6.55 $2.29 Hunts Whole Tomatoes 14.5oz Can $2.65 $2.89 $2.95 Store Brand $2.55 $1.45 Hunts Tomato Paste 6oz Can $1.35 $1.55 $1.95 $1.99 $0.93 Crushed Tomatoes 28oz Can (Store Brand) $3.89 $4.55 $ $3.99 $2.29 Bread/Pasta/Rice: 2006 Late 2007 Jan, 2009 May, 2011 Fairbanks Oroweat Bread 1 Loaf $4.85 $5.35 $6.55 $6.65 $4.89 Store White or Wheat loaf $1.95 $2.29 $2.85 $2.99 $2.49 Mission Large Flour Tortillas 20oz $4.99 $5.49 $6.59 $N/A $3.99 Golden Grain Spaghetti 1 lb $2.55 $2.85 $3.65 Store Brand $2.95 $2.09 Angel Hair pasta 24oz $3.35 $3.99 $4.99 16oz $3.65 $1.23 Niko Niko Calrose Rice 10lb bag $12.99 $15.49 $21.49 $22.99 $13.29 Soup: 2006 Late 2007 Jan, 2009 May, 2011 Fairbanks Campbell's Beef Broth 10.5oz $2.25 $2.35 $2.79 $2.85 $1.45 Campbell's Cream of Mushroom 10.75oz $1.79 $2.85 $3.15 $2.45 $1.29 Kalstags Cream of Mushroom 10.75oz - $1.75 N/A N/A N/A Campbell's Chunk Soup (any flavor) 18.8oz $4.75 $5.69 $4.99 $4.99 $2.67 Other Foods: 2006 Late 2007 Jan, 2009 May, 2011 Fairbanks Tillimook Baby Loaf 2lb Medium Cheddar $11.49 $12.49 $15.79 $12.55 $7.99 Kraft Salad dressing 16oz any flavor $4.99 $5.45 $6.95 $5.99 $2.91 Jif Peanut Butter 40oz $7.95 $8.49 $9.85 $10.45 $6.49 Welch's Grape Jelly 32oz $5.29 -- $6.79 $6.75 $2.99 Smuckers Strawberry Jam ?oz - $7.69 $8.19 $8.39 N/A Pace Med Salsa 24oz $6.99 $7.29 $7.25 $7.45 $3.85 Heinz Ketchup 64oz $7.49 $9.49 $10.29 $10.99 $3.49 Quaker Oatmeal Flavor Variety 55 packet Box $16.99 -- $17.85 $19.75 $11.38 Betty Crocker German Chocolate Cake mix 18.5oz -- $3.99 $3.99 $4.35 $2.39 Cake Fosting 16oz -- $3.85 $3.89 $3.89 $2.49 Cashews 40oz (Store Brand) -- -- $24.69 $27.15 $19.59 Red Vines 5.5lb Tub -- -- $16.85 $16.99 $9.99 (4lb) Morton Salt 26oz -- -- $3.59 $2.99 $0.89 Chips Ahoy Cookies 15.25oz -- -- $5.99 $5.99 $3.79 Sailor Boy Pilot Bread -- -- $6.65 $8.75 N/A Nabisco Saltines 1lb -- -- $5.45 $5.65 $3.29 20oz Coke/Pepsi -- -- $2.65 $2.49 $ . 1 Dozen Eggs Grade A Large -- -- $4.39 $4.39 $1.49 Butter 1lb Store Brand - -- $5.45 $6.49 $2.99 Philadelphia Cream Cheese 8oz -- -- $3.99 $4.29 $2.99 Frozen Goods: 2006 Late 2007 Jan, 2009 May, 2011 Fairbanks 12oz Orange Juice (Store Brand) -- -- $4.45 $4.79 $1.39 Ore-Ida Golden Fries 32oz -- -- $8.85 $7.69 $3.99 Banguet Fried Chicken 31oz -- -- $11.69 $ N/A Hungry Man 16oz Dinner -- -- $6.35 $6.55 $2.97 Hot Pockets 9oz -- -- $4.99 $4.99 $2.65 DiGiorno 29.3oz Pizza -- -- $13.79 $12.99 $10.29 Mixed Veges 1lb (Store Brand) - -- $3.55 $3.99 $1.99 Mixed Veges 2lb (Store Brand) - -- $6.49 $ $2.79 Dreyers Ice Cream 1.5qt - -- $10.99 $12.95 $6.49 Blue Bunny Ice Cream 1.75qt - -- $10.99 $10.35 N/A Humboldt Ice Cream 1/2 gal - -- $7.99 $7.65 $4.49 (1.75qt) Other Goods: 2006 Late 2007 Jan, 2009 May, 2011 Fairbanks Puppy Chow 34lb -- -- $54.89 34# $60.25 $35.59 Eukanuba 40lb Active Adult -- -- $68.99 iams 40# $25.95 N/A Dove Soap 2x4.25oz bars -- -- $6.75 $ $3.39 Kleenex 200 -- -- $4.15 $4.19 $2.59 Pert Plus 12.5oz Shampoo/Cond -- -- $6.29 $6.55 $3.29 Nyquil 6/10oz -- -- $8.99/12.99 10oz $14.99 $4.99/6.99 Marlboro Box - Carton -- $62.75 $71.00 $86.50 $52.52 These are local prices before 6% Sales Tax (yes, on food too). There are, of course, sales and mark-downs. Other options are available for many goods via mail-order, internet, shopping services, etc. which may yield significant savings.

Another perspective on prices in Kotzebue (Tundra Tantrum Blog)