Questions About Anchorage? (living in, bus, move)

[moulyn58]

Is there really affordable living in Anchorage compared to other cities or towns in Alaska. For 2 people that is. Looking for nothing fancy, no fluff just a place to call home, downtown or close to bus lines. And is it neccessary for you to own a car in Anchorage, really looking to get out of the drag of owning a vehicle.

[AKMammabear]

Well, we came here 11 years ago with nothing but 4 suitcases, 2 guitars and $4500 cash. We made it! LOL

I would avoid the downtown area: one part is super expensive and the other is not so good... Bus lines are all over the city and lots of people use them to commute to and from work: the only pain in the butt is when you want to do something that is not on a bus line. Why not get something small and cheap and light on gas?

[rotorhead]

Living in ANC without a car is certainly possible, but you're gonna need some good winter gear and waterproof insulated boots to live the "public bus transit" lifestyle in the wintertime. The city is quick to plow the roads, but pretty slow to remove that snow from the sidewalks and bus stops where they just shoved it. They'll get around to it, but the real priority is on keeping the streets clear, not the walkways. On the other hand, if you live and work relatively close together you might be able to avoid the roads entirely if the ski trails connect well enough, they are well maintained in winter. There are lots of bike trails, but it takes a stout constitution and studded knobbies to ride year-round (yes, they actually do sell studded tire for mountain bikes).

The thing you'll be missing out on is the rest of Alaska, which is quite a bit.