Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chicago, IL and Fort Smith, AR

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Smith, AR: $1,951 a month against $3,037 in Chicago, IL, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

147

Cost of Living Index in Chicago, IL
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Chicago, IL Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Fort Smith, AR
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Fort Smith, AR Living Index

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Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Fort Smith, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,951

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chicago, IL 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 Chicago, IL and in Fort Smith, AR actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,037 per month in Chicago, IL vs $1,951 in Fort Smith, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $3,037
Fort Smith, AR $1,951

A couple spends around $4,518 per month in Chicago, IL vs $2,992 in Fort Smith, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $4,518
Fort Smith, AR $2,992

A family of three spends $5,999 per month in Chicago, IL vs $4,033 in Fort Smith, AR, rent included.

Chicago, IL $5,999
Fort Smith, AR $4,033

Chicago, IL costs about 56% more than Fort Smith, AR, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Chicago, IL and Fort Smith, AR sit above the global median – Chicago, IL by 123%, Fort Smith, AR by 43%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 $20.71

$20.20 $20.20

2.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.2 $89.2

$64.6 $64.6

38.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.19 $13.19

$11.43 $11.43

15.40%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$5.32 $5.32

6.39%

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

$2.64 $2.64

$2.39 $2.39

10.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.00 $2.00

14.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.87 $6.87

$5.96 $5.96

15.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.04 $9.04

-2.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.95 $0.95

31.58%

White Bread (500g)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.26 $3.26

14.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.78 $3.78

42.59%

Eggs

$4.74 $4.74

$2.89 $2.89

64.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.84 $13.84

$7.55 $7.55

83.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$10.76 $10.76

33.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.38 $18.38

$19.61 $19.61

-6.27%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$4.77 $4.77

9.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.45 $1.45

36.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.48 $2.48

63.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$2.11 $2.11

135.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.90 $1.90

40.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.58 $1.58

68.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.75 $1.75

28.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.28 $2.28

37.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.82 $13.82

$8.33 $8.33

65.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$13.89 $13.89

7.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.82 $1.82

39.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.51 $3.51

$2.64 $2.64

32.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.22 $1.22

99.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.5 $73.5

$35.44 $35.44

107.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.68 $2.68

18.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.29 $1.29

7.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.03 $25.03

$29.99 $29.99

-16.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$0.76 $0.76

57.89%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$26.0K $26.0K

34.98%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

4.27%

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

$194 $194

$276 $276

-29.46%

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

$69.5 $69.5

-0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 $61.6

$69.1 $69.1

-10.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.90 $47.90

$27.06 $27.06

77.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.34 $27.34

$16.22 $16.22

68.56%

Cinema Ticket

$17.81 $17.81

$13.52 $13.52

31.73%

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

$1,794 $1,794

$918 $918

95.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K $31.9K

$23.5K $23.5K

35.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.0 $67.0

$54.7 $54.7

22.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.1 $52.1

$41.77 $41.77

24.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$91.8 $91.8

10.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$77.6 $77.6

85.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,526 $2,526

$683 $683

269.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 $1,578

$646 $646

144.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,738 $4,738

$1,536 $1,536

208.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,693 $2,693

$1,295 $1,295

107.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,190 $4,190

$1,557 $1,557

169.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,768 $2,768

$1,561 $1,561

77.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,931 $4,931

$3,154 $3,154

56.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.81

6.38

6.74%

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

Last update for Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fort Smith, AR: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52%

Fort Smith, AR

$646 33.1% 59.1% $932

Groceries & Markets

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7%

Fort Smith, AR

$342 17.6% 23.5% $105

Eating Out

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4%

Fort Smith, AR

$325 16.7% 5.7% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7%

Fort Smith, AR

$414 21.2% 27.2% $89

Clothing & Footwear

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4%

Fort Smith, AR

$120 6.1% 27.1% $44

Getting Around

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1%

Fort Smith, AR

$49 2.5% 47.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8%

Fort Smith, AR

$54 2.8% 35.2% $29

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,526 in Chicago, IL versus $683 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 56% higher in Chicago, IL. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL versus $65 in Fort Smith, AR. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $447 vs $342 – making Fort Smith, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 Fort Smith, AR

🕒 Local time

23:23 11:23 PM

Same time as Chicago, IL

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,746,388

89,142

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Chicago, IL Fort Smith, AR 930 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Chicago, IL
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

Chicago, IL vs Fort Smith, AR: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,037 in Chicago, IL, $1,951 in Fort Smith, AR – Fort Smith, AR comes out roughly 36% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,555 per month in Chicago, IL and $2,926 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $683 there versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL.

Groceries cost about 31% more in Chicago, IL, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89 in Chicago, IL and $65 in Fort Smith, AR. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

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.

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