I've been to plenty of states over the years and I can tell you that the gap has narrowed considerably. Most of my food comes from the Elmendorf commissary, but even so, outside food prices are not much different than the local grocery store. Housing is very affordable in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, as are utilities. Gas isn't that bad and I can fly Space A for free. The sales tax in Wasilla is 2 percent, capped at $10 and outside of Wasilla, and in Anchorage, there is no sales tax. When we are fully retired, we will easily be able to afford trips outside during the winter.
Besides the cost of living, there are other benefits to living in Alaska. We are a very free state when it comes to personal liberties. If you want to carry concealed, no permit is required though one is available for reciprocity purposes. We have castle doctrine and stand your ground. I can ride my Harley without a helmet. There are no vehicle inspections and the police pretty much leave you alone if you are not a criminal. There are no red light cameras and no photo radar. I don't need a permit to do anything to my house. In fact, I don't even need a permit to build a house. I can have paper or plastic when I go to the store. No deposits on cans or bottles. I mean, the list goes on and on.
“I can ride my Harley without a helmet.” — Alaska Erik
Same here in FL. Also, you’re never more than a few hours away from a beach/the ocean and it’s pretty much year-round warm. No state income tax; the old intangible tax has been eliminated. Only thing you have to watch out for is property taxes, which can be awesome, and not in a good way.