Comparación del coste de vida entre Chicago, IL y Fort Smith, AR Comparación del coste de vida entre Chicago, IL y Fort Smith, AR

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,009 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,749 in Fort Smith, AR, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,593 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,668 in Fort Smith, AR, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,177 per month in Chicago, IL vs $3,586 in Fort Smith, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL costs about 72% more than Fort Smith, AR, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chicago, IL and Fort Smith, AR sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 125%, Fort Smith, AR by 31%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.35 $20.35

$15.04 $15.04

35.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$49.65 $49.65

104.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.98 $11.98

$8.69 $8.69

37.86%

Cappuccino

$5.70 $5.70

$4.12 $4.12

38.35%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$2.29 $2.29

31.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.87 $1.87

31.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$3.97 $3.97

73.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$6.13 $6.13

31.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

White Bread (500g)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.93 $2.93

34.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$2.07 $2.07

161.84%

Eggs

$4.50 $4.50

$2.97 $2.97

51.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.53 $14.53

$7.29 $7.29

99.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.89 $14.89

$8.97 $8.97

66.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.98 $18.98

$14.14 $14.14

34.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.39 $4.39

22.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.29 $1.29

37.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$2.46 $2.46

76.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$2.10 $2.10

115.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.53 $2.53

$1.62 $1.62

56.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$1.50 $1.50

87.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.82 $1.82

37.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.97 $1.97

35.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.88 $14.88

$7.16 $7.16

107.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.22 $15.22

$12.06 $12.06

26.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.68 $1.68

46.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 $3.53

$2.54 $2.54

38.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$1.23 $1.23

108.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.3 $74.3

$35.19 $35.19

111.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.03 $3.03

5.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.29 $1.29

9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.49 $25.49

$35.93 $35.93

-29.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$0.73 $0.73

42.47%

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

$32.2K $32.2K

$25.7K $25.7K

25.23%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.61%

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

$184 $184

$237 $237

-22.61%

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

$63.1 $63.1

$57.9 $57.9

8.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.4 $66.4

$73.1 $73.1

-9.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$75.9 $75.9

$26.30 $26.30

188.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.06 $13.06

$15.92 $15.92

-17.96%

Cinema Ticket

$15.25 $15.25

$10.79 $10.79

41.33%

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

$2,090 $2,090

$772 $772

170.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.2K $39.2K

$23.8K $23.8K

64.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.2 $64.2

$52.2 $52.2

22.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.0 $51.0

$33.77 $33.77

51.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.2 $97.2

$68.6 $68.6

41.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$77.6 $77.6

91.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,341 $2,341

$697 $697

235.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,572 $1,572

$688 $688

128.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,741 $4,741

$1,463 $1,463

224.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,819 $2,819

$1,297 $1,297

117.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,900 $3,900

$1,566 $1,566

149.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,638 $2,638

$1,554 $1,554

69.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,769 $4,769

$3,046 $3,046

56.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.6

6.45

2.33%

Los datos de CityCost se basan en IA y aportaciones de usuarios. Puede haber pequeñas variaciones.

Última actualización para Chicago, IL: April 25, 2026

Última actualización para Fort Smith, AR: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,341 in Chicago, IL versus $697 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 57% higher in Chicago, IL, 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 $102 in Chicago, IL versus $50.0 in Fort Smith, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $295 – making Fort Smith, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Comparación de velocidades medias de internet por ciudad (actualizado April 2026)

El gráfico resalta el umbral de precisión para velocidades de internet móvil y fija, actualizado trimestralmente.

Índice del coste de vida para nómadas digitales

Chicago, IL vs Fort Smith, AR: Coste de vida - preguntas frecuentes

Monthly costs with rent: $3,009 in Chicago, IL, $1,749 in Fort Smith, AR – roughly 72% apart. Chicago, IL costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,513 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,624 in Fort Smith, AR. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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.

Groceries cost about 51% more in Chicago, IL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Chicago, IL and $50.0 in Fort Smith, AR. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Fort Smith, AR, where all-in costs run around $1,749, than in Chicago, IL at $3,009. In Fort Smith, AR it covers expenses comfortably, while in Chicago, IL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Chicago, IL has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,749 in Fort Smith, AR to $3,009 in Chicago, IL. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Fort Smith, AR. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Chicago, IL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.