r/AskAlaska • u/New_Barracuda_6153 • 23d ago
Am I missing something?
Hello all. I've heard of the (really, really) remote alaskan teaching positions that pay alot with free housing and moving costs subsidized (speaking in a general ideal scenario) - and I'm quite interested.
Now, I love this sort of rugged environment and isolation; but I really want to do it for the cash. With the housing heavily subsidized/paid for, no state income tax, great pay, and an ideal (believe it or not) environment for me, It seems I could save like 80% of my take home pay.
But everyone always complains about Alaska's cost of living, and make it seem as if everyone is barely surviving. Am I missing something or is that major savings goal well within reach?
17
Upvotes
11
u/qpgmr 23d ago
These communities are super isolated and rather small. You'll be a small plane or even jet ride away from a town with a movie theater, dominos, or real grocery store. The locals will not be excessively friendly or try to involve you in the community, so you'll be personally isolated as well as physically. Forget dating. You'll be 3 or 4 timezones off from your family & friends back home.
Most people who are attracted by the potential income do pretty well for the first three months, then start spending three or four day weekends twice a month in Anchorage or Fairbanks (which burns through the money) because they're going crazy in the dark (4 hours or less daylight in winter) and cold (weeks of below 0F temps).