Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Berlin and Fort Smith, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Smith, AR: $1,978 a month against $2,551 in Berlin, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Berlin
🇩🇪 Germany
$2,551
/mo nomad
Fort Smith, AR
🇺🇸 United States
$1,978
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Berlin and in Fort Smith, AR

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Berlin and in Fort Smith, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,551 per month in Berlin vs $1,978 in Fort Smith, AR, rent included.

  • Berlin $2,551
  • Fort Smith, AR $1,978

A couple spends around $3,845 per month in Berlin vs $3,030 in Fort Smith, AR, rent included.

  • Berlin $3,845
  • Fort Smith, AR $3,030

A family of three spends $5,139 per month in Berlin vs $4,081 in Fort Smith, AR, rent included.

  • Berlin $5,139
  • Fort Smith, AR $4,081

Berlin costs about 29% more than Fort Smith, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both Berlin and Fort Smith, AR sit above the global median – Berlin by 89%, Fort Smith, AR by 47%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Berlin
Fort Smith, AR
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.65 €14.81
$20.37 $20.37
-18.26%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.7 €68.2
$65.0 $65.0
18.12%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$13.47 €11.98
$11.35 $11.35
18.68%
Cappuccino
$4.37 €3.89
$5.35 $5.35
-18.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.48 €3.09
$2.31 $2.31
50.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.12 €2.77
$2.06 $2.06
51.46%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.34 €4.75
$6.13 $6.13
-12.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.39 €3.91
$9.09 $9.09
-51.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Berlin
Fort Smith, AR
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.02 $1.02
24.51%
White Bread (500g)
$2.33 €2.08
$3.44 $3.44
-32.27%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.40 €3.02
$3.67 $3.67
-7.36%
Eggs
$4.50 €4.00
$2.97 $2.97
51.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.78 €14.93
$7.37 $7.37
127.68%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.91 €10.59
$10.94 $10.94
8.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$17.90 €15.92
$19.62 $19.62
-8.77%
Apples (1kg)
$3.46 €3.07
$4.95 $4.95
-30.10%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 €1.73
$1.42 $1.42
37.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.26 €2.90
$2.56 $2.56
27.34%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.71 €3.30
$2.10 $2.10
76.67%
Potato (1kg)
$2.10 €1.87
$1.90 $1.90
10.53%
Onion (1kg)
$2.09 €1.86
$1.58 $1.58
32.28%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.42 €1.27
$1.81 $1.81
-21.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.95 €0.84
$2.26 $2.26
-57.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$10.44 €9.29
$8.08 $8.08
29.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.58 €5.85
$14.13 $14.13
-53.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.27 €1.13
$1.84 $1.84
-30.98%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.08 €1.85
$2.52 $2.52
-17.46%
🚌 Getting Around
Berlin
Fort Smith, AR
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.34 €3.86
$1.28 $1.28
239.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$71.6 €63.7
$35.56 $35.56
101.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$5.26 €4.68
$2.73 $2.73
92.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.09 €2.75
$1.28 $1.28
141.41%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$36.34 €32.32
$30.11 $30.11
20.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.31 €2.05
$0.79 $0.79
192.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$32.4K €28.8K
$25.5K $25.5K
27.02%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.6K €34.3K
$25.8K $25.8K
49.45%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
Fort Smith, AR
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$382 €340
$274 $274
39.23%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.83 €16.75
$70.6 $70.6
-73.32%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$48.57 €43.20
$68.5 $68.5
-29.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
Fort Smith, AR
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.21 €35.76
$27.02 $27.02
48.82%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$34.90 €31.04
$15.73 $15.73
121.87%
Cinema Ticket
$15.73 €14.00
$13.27 $13.27
18.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Berlin
Fort Smith, AR
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$142 €126
$890 $890
-84.09%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.8K €14.0K
$23.9K $23.9K
-33.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
Fort Smith, AR
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$95.4 €84.8
$52.9 $52.9
80.11%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$46.32 €41.20
$41.60 $41.60
11.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$104 €92.4
$93.6 $93.6
10.99%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$143 €128
$77.1 $77.1
85.82%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Berlin
Fort Smith, AR
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,469 €1,306
$681 $681
115.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,114 €991
$668 $668
66.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,751 €2,447
$1,500 $1,500
83.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,107 €1,875
$1,328 $1,328
58.65%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,454 €7,520
$1,547 $1,547
446.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,435 €4,834
$1,540 $1,540
252.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Berlin
Fort Smith, AR
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,543 €3,151
$3,041 $3,041
16.52%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.8
6.38
-40.44%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Berlin: October 12, 2026

Last update for Fort Smith, AR: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Berlin
$1.1K
Fort Smith, AR
$668 40.1% $446
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Berlin
$449
Fort Smith, AR
$413 8% $36
Groceries & Markets
Berlin
$343
Fort Smith, AR
$347 1.1% $3.7
Eating Out
Berlin
$288
Fort Smith, AR
$328 13.7% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Berlin
$175
Fort Smith, AR
$119 31.8% $56
Getting Around
Berlin
$110
Fort Smith, AR
$50 54.6% $60
Sport & Entertainment
Berlin
$72
Fort Smith, AR
$54 25.3% $18

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,469 in Berlin versus $681 in Fort Smith, AR. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 17% higher in Berlin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $77.0 in Berlin versus $65.0 in Fort Smith, AR. Groceries tell a different story – $343 in Berlin vs $347 in Fort Smith, AR – so Berlin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇩🇪 Berlin
🇺🇸 Fort Smith, AR
🕒 Local time
18:45 6:45 PM
11:45 11:45 AM
7 h behind Berlin
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
3,769,962 Capital
89,142
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD to EUR – Euro Converter

Euro exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 0.889 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Berlin Fort Smith, AR 8,020 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Berlin
  • Fort Smith, AR

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.
Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index
Berlin vs Fort Smith, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fort Smith, AR cheaper than Berlin?
Yes – Berlin is pricier by about 29%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in utilities.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,826 per month in Berlin and $2,967 in Fort Smith, AR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Fort Smith, AR, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Berlin and in Fort Smith, AR?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,551 in Berlin and $1,978 in Fort Smith, AR. That's a gap of about 29%.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
Public transport costs about 101% less in Fort Smith, AR. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Is $2,000 a realistic budget for living in Berlin or in Fort Smith, AR?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fort Smith, AR, where all-in costs run around $1,978, than in Berlin at $2,551. In Fort Smith, AR it covers expenses comfortably, while in Berlin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Berlin or Fort Smith, AR more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Fort Smith, AR – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Berlin or Fort Smith, AR?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Fort Smith, AR. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Berlin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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