Cost of Living Comparison Between Charleston, WV and Fort Smith, AR Cost of Living Comparison Between Charleston, WV and Fort Smith, AR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,815 in Charleston, WV versus $1,794 in Fort Smith, AR.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,666 in Charleston, WV versus $2,731 in Fort Smith, AR.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,517 in Charleston, WV versus $3,667 in Fort Smith, AR.

Living in Charleston, WV is roughly 1% more expensive than Fort Smith, AR, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Charleston, WV 35% above, Fort Smith, AR 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.06 $15.06

$14.72 $14.72

2.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.2 $50.2

$50.4 $50.4

-0.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.89 $7.89

$8.61 $8.61

-8.36%

Cappuccino

$2.90 $2.90

$4.15 $4.15

-30.12%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.27 $2.27

-4.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 $2.07

$1.88 $1.88

10.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 $2.95

$3.97 $3.97

-25.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.07 $6.07

$5.90 $5.90

2.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$0.94 $0.94

-15.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.25 $2.25

$2.88 $2.88

-21.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.09 $2.09

-19.14%

Eggs

$3.18 $3.18

$2.85 $2.85

11.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.16 $10.16

$7.59 $7.59

33.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.38 $9.38

$9.41 $9.41

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.32 $15.32

$14.68 $14.68

4.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.60 $4.60

-6.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.27 $1.27

-19.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.46 $2.46

-12.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.14 $2.14

135.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.60 $1.60

20.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$1.52 $1.52

89.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.80 $1.80

-3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 $1.01

$1.89 $1.89

-46.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.01 $6.01

$7.01 $7.01

-14.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$15.07 $15.07

-32.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.65 $1.65

2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.56 $2.56

-30.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 $1.54

$1.27 $1.27

21.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.2 $59.2

$35.16 $35.16

68.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.04 $3.04

20.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.28 $1.28

-6.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.91 $24.91

$36.58 $36.58

-31.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 $0.82

$0.72 $0.72

13.89%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$35.5K $35.5K

$26.1K $26.1K

35.98%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.3K $25.3K

$26.5K $26.5K

-4.31%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$119 $119

$234 $234

-49.34%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$45.88 $45.88

$57.3 $57.3

-19.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.9 $54.9

$73.4 $73.4

-25.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.51 $31.51

$27.08 $27.08

16.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.08 $17.08

$16.32 $16.32

4.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.96 $11.96

$10.94 $10.94

9.32%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,569 $1,569

$762 $762

106.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K $17.7K

$23.7K $23.7K

-25.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.52 $40.52

$53.2 $53.2

-23.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.01 $40.01

$33.25 $33.25

20.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.3 $87.3

$70.5 $70.5

23.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.7 $99.7

$77.1 $77.1

29.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$919 $919

$679 $679

35.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$805 $805

$668 $668

20.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 $1,779

$1,486 $1,486

19.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,312 $1,312

$1,294 $1,294

1.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,104 $1,104

$1,517 $1,517

-27.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,127 $1,127

$1,526 $1,526

-26.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,565 $3,565

$3,110 $3,110

14.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.45

1.24%

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

Last update for Charleston, WV: June 2, 2026

Last update for Fort Smith, AR: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $919 in Charleston, WV and $679 in Fort Smith, AR. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Charleston, WV pays 15% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $50.0 in Charleston, WV vs $50.0 in Fort Smith, AR for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $304 per month, with Charleston, WV cheaper across the board.

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

Charleston, WV vs Fort Smith, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Smith, AR is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Sport & Entertainment. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Charleston, WV pays 15% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $919 in Charleston, WV versus $679 in Fort Smith, AR. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Charleston, WV pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Fort Smith, AR – a meal for two runs $50.0 versus $50.0 in Charleston, WV. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,794 in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,815 in Charleston, WV, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Fort Smith, AR but tight or insufficient in Charleston, WV. The gap between the two cities makes Fort Smith, AR the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Charleston, WV and Fort Smith, AR are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Fort Smith, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Charleston, WV. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.