Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Smith, AR and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Fort Smith, AR: $1,951 a month against $2,607 in Austin, TX, rent and utilities included – about $7,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Fort Smith, AR
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Fort Smith, AR Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Fort Smith, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,951

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,951 in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,607 in Austin, TX.

Fort Smith, AR $1,951
Austin, TX $2,607

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,992 in Fort Smith, AR versus $4,031 in Austin, TX.

Fort Smith, AR $2,992
Austin, TX $4,031

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,033 in Fort Smith, AR versus $5,454 in Austin, TX.

Fort Smith, AR $4,033
Austin, TX $5,454

Living in Fort Smith, AR costs roughly 25% less than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Smith, AR 43% above, Austin, TX 92% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 $20.20

$20.35 $20.35

-0.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 $64.6

$84.7 $84.7

-23.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 $11.43

$12.12 $12.12

-5.69%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$5.65 $5.65

-5.84%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$3.68 $3.68

-35.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.36 $2.36

-15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$7.87 $7.87

-24.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.04 $9.04

$8.82 $8.82

2.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.14 $1.14

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.69 $3.69

-11.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.31 $3.31

14.20%

Eggs

$2.89 $2.89

$4.15 $4.15

-30.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 $7.55

$12.98 $12.98

-41.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$13.86 $13.86

-22.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.61 $19.61

$16.34 $16.34

20.01%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$4.69 $4.69

1.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$5.11 $5.11

-51.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$4.52 $4.52

-53.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$3.08 $3.08

-38.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.38 $2.38

-33.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.80 $1.80

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.22 $2.22

2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 $8.33

$9.97 $9.97

-16.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 $13.89

$15.05 $15.05

-7.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.91 $2.91

-37.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.33 $3.33

-20.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.44 $35.44

$40.53 $40.53

-12.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$2.78 $2.78

-3.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.65 $1.65

-21.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.99 $29.99

$35.39 $35.39

-15.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$0.95 $0.95

-20.00%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$34.2K $34.2K

-24.09%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-4.41%

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

$276 $276

$223 $223

23.60%

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

$69.5 $69.5

$58.5 $58.5

18.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$71.2 $71.2

-2.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.06 $27.06

$53.0 $53.0

-48.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.22 $16.22

$16.75 $16.75

-3.16%

Cinema Ticket

$13.52 $13.52

$14.06 $14.06

-3.84%

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

$918 $918

$1,459 $1,459

-37.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$21.3K $21.3K

10.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 $54.7

$52.5 $52.5

4.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.77 $41.77

$42.75 $42.75

-2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$86.4 $86.4

6.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 $77.6

$104 $104

-25.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 $683

$2,112 $2,112

-67.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 $646

$1,230 $1,230

-47.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 $1,536

$3,863 $3,863

-60.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 $1,295

$2,407 $2,407

-46.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,557 $1,557

$7,426 $7,426

-79.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,561 $1,561

$3,060 $3,060

-49.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,154 $3,154

$5,179 $5,179

-39.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.82

-6.45%

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

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

Last update for Austin, TX: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fort Smith, AR

$646 33.1%

Austin, TX

$1.2K 47.2% 90.5% $585

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Smith, AR

$414 21.2%

Austin, TX

$353 13.5% 14.9% $62

Groceries & Markets

Fort Smith, AR

$342 17.6%

Austin, TX

$410 15.7% 19.7% $67

Eating Out

Fort Smith, AR

$325 16.7%

Austin, TX

$348 13.4% 7% $23

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Smith, AR

$120 6.1%

Austin, TX

$128 4.9% 7.4% $8.8

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Smith, AR

$54 2.8%

Austin, TX

$81 3.1% 50% $27

Getting Around

Fort Smith, AR

$49 2.5%

Austin, TX

$56 2.2% 14.2% $7

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $683 in Fort Smith, AR and $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 64% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $65 in Fort Smith, AR vs $85 in Austin, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $410 per month, with Fort Smith, AR cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Smith, AR

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

06:32 6:32 AM

Same time as Fort Smith, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

89,142

974,447

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Fort Smith, AR Austin, TX 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Fort Smith, AR
Austin, TX

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

Fort Smith, AR vs Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Smith, AR wins on cost – living expenses run 25% lower than in Austin, TX. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Fort Smith, AR the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 39% lower in Fort Smith, AR. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $683 in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,112 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,951 per month in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,607 in Austin, TX – Fort Smith, AR is about 25% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Fort Smith, AR runs roughly 13% less than in Austin, TX. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your 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.

Expats usually find Fort Smith, AR gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Austin, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.