Soldotna, AK vs Winston, OR: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Winston, OR has a modeled overall cost index 19.2% lower than Soldotna, AK.

Soldotna, AK · modeled 2BR rent: $1,330 / month
Winston, OR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,270 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Soldotna, AK and Winston, OR using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Soldotna, AK

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $923/month in Winston, OR

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $138,923 in Winston, OR

Regional cost estimates: Soldotna, AK uses Anchorage, AK. Winston, OR uses Portland, OR. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 19.2%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$923

Savings

Annual Impact

$11.1K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Soldotna, AK

Population:5K

Cost Index:

102.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$349K

Winston, OR

Population:6K

Cost Index:

82.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$312K

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Soldotna, AK

The Last Frontier

Population

State Tax

No Income Tax

Located in Alaska, this city has a population of 5K residents.

💡 Advantage: Alaska has no state income tax!

Winston, OR

The Beaver State

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Oregon, this city has a population of 6K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Soldotna, AK vs Winston, OR

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Soldotna, AK	Winston, OR	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,195/mo	$2,616/mo	↑ $420more	19.1%
All Utilities	$724/mo	$368/mo	↓ $357less	49.2%
Groceries	$1,167/mo	$827/mo	↓ $340less	29.1%
Other	$1,478/mo	$1,189/mo	↓ $289less	19.5%
Healthcare	$783/mo	$513/mo	↓ $270less	34.5%
Transportation	$1,152/mo	$1,063/mo	↓ $88.34less	7.7%

Housing

↑ 19.1%

Soldotna, AK

$2,195

Winston, OR

$2,616

Difference

$420

All Utilities

↓ 49.2%

Soldotna, AK

$724

Winston, OR

$368

Difference

$357

less

Groceries

↓ 29.1%

Soldotna, AK

$1,167

Winston, OR

$827

Difference

$340

less

Other

↓ 19.5%

Soldotna, AK

$1,478

Winston, OR

$1,189

Difference

$289

less

Healthcare

↓ 34.5%

Soldotna, AK

$783

Winston, OR

$513

Difference

$270

less

Transportation

↓ 7.7%

Soldotna, AK

$1,152

Winston, OR

$1,063

Difference

$88.34

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,010

To$880

↓ $130

1 Bed

From$1,010

To$970

↓ $40.00

2 Bed

From$1,330

To$1,270

↓ $60.00

3 Bed

From$1,850

To$1,770

↓ $80.00

Soldotna, AKZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,010–$1,010/mo

Winston, ORZIP-level data

1BR range: $970–$970/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Soldotna, AK

$6,577

Monthly in Winston, OR

$923

Difference

Home Values

Soldotna

Winston

$349K

Median Value

$312K

↑ +4.1%

YoY Change

↓ -0.5%

↑ +21%

5-Year Change

↑ +33.2%

Homes in Winston are 11% less expensive than Soldotna

Calculate payment - Soldotna Calculate payment - Winston

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $15.5K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$1,293

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

10.3%

Rate difference

Soldotna, AK

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Alaska State Tax

No state income tax

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 24.7%

$37.0K

Take-Home Pay

$9,416/month

$113.0K

Winston, OR

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Oregon State Tax

Effective: 10.3%

$15.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 35.0%

$52.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,123/month

$97.5K

Additional Tax Information

Soldotna, AK Tax Rates

Sales Tax:1.8%

Property Tax:0.9%

Winston, OR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:0.0%

Property Tax:0.9%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Soldotna

Winston

24 Good

Air Quality

35 Good

81.1%

Good Air Days

85%

97 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌡🫨

N/A

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

N/A

2050 Outlook

▲+2.5°F

Heat Days >95°F

9 days

Before moving from Soldotna, AK to Winston, OR

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Winston, OR for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Soldotna, AK. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Soldotna to Winston moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Winston, OR by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Soldotna, AK vs Winston, OR

How do the cost estimates for Soldotna, AK and Winston, OR compare?

Winston, OR has a modeled overall cost index 19.2% lower than Soldotna, AK. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Soldotna, AK, the model estimates $138,923 in Winston, OR. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Soldotna, AK and Winston, OR?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,330/month in Soldotna, AK and $1,270/month in Winston, OR. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Alaska and Oregon on TaxTakeHome.com