🔺 r/personalfinanceuflickbreeze2003·13 days ago
Is a 20–30 minute commute worth it for cheaper rent in Alaska?
My partner and I are trying to decide if moving to a cheaper apartment would be worth the extra commute, especially with Anchorage winters. Right now, we pay $1,900/month (500sq ft with 1 bed) in rent plus around $120 in electricity, so roughly $2,020/month. We found another place for $1,450/month (1000sq fr with 2 beds), with all utilities included except electricity. The catch is that the new place would add some extra driving to our daily routine. I’m the one who drives both of us to work. My partner’s work is about 20 minutes from the new place, while mine would be about 10 minutes away. So our commute would be roughly 20–30 minutes depending on traffic and winter road conditions. The rent difference is pretty significant — we’d be saving around $570/month, or almost $6,800 a year. For people living in Anchorage, especially those who have dealt with winter driving, do you think that kind of savings is worth the extra commute? How much does a 20–30 minute commute realistically turn into during winter? And do you think the savings would outweigh the extra gas, vehicle wear, and time spent driving? Would love to hear from people who have made a similar rent vs. commute trade-off i…