Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Smith, AR and Berlin

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.

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

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

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 Berlin actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fort Smith, AR is about 22% cheaper than Berlin, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fort Smith, AR
Berlin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.37 $20.37
$16.65 €14.81
22.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$65.0 $65.0
$76.7 €68.2
-15.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.35 $11.35
$13.47 €11.98
-15.74%
Cappuccino
$5.35 $5.35
$4.37 €3.89
22.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.31 $2.31
$3.48 €3.09
-33.62%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.06 $2.06
$3.12 €2.77
-33.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$6.13 $6.13
$5.34 €4.75
14.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.09 $9.09
$4.39 €3.91
107.06%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fort Smith, AR
Berlin
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.02 $1.02
$1.27 €1.13
-19.69%
White Bread (500g)
$3.44 $3.44
$2.33 €2.08
47.64%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.67 $3.67
$3.40 €3.02
7.94%
Eggs
$2.97 $2.97
$4.50 €4.00
-34.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.37 $7.37
$16.78 €14.93
-56.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.94 $10.94
$11.91 €10.59
-8.14%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.62 $19.62
$17.90 €15.92
9.61%
Apples (1kg)
$4.95 $4.95
$3.46 €3.07
43.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.42 $1.42
$1.95 €1.73
-27.18%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.56 $2.56
$3.26 €2.90
-21.47%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.10 $2.10
$3.71 €3.30
-43.40%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 $1.90
$2.10 €1.87
-9.52%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 $1.58
$2.09 €1.86
-24.40%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.81 $1.81
$1.42 €1.27
27.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 $2.26
$0.95 €0.84
137.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.08 $8.08
$10.44 €9.29
-22.61%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.13 $14.13
$6.58 €5.85
114.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.84 $1.84
$1.27 €1.13
44.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52 $2.52
$2.08 €1.85
21.15%
🚌 Getting Around
Fort Smith, AR
Berlin
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.28 $1.28
$4.34 €3.86
-70.51%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.56 $35.56
$71.6 €63.7
-50.34%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.73 $2.73
$5.26 €4.68
-48.10%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.28 $1.28
$3.09 €2.75
-58.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.11 $30.11
$36.34 €32.32
-17.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 $0.79
$2.31 €2.05
-65.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.5K $25.5K
$32.4K €28.8K
-21.27%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.8K $25.8K
$38.6K €34.3K
-33.09%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort Smith, AR
Berlin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$274 $274
$382 €340
-28.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$70.6 $70.6
$18.83 €16.75
274.83%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$68.5 $68.5
$48.57 €43.20
40.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fort Smith, AR
Berlin
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.02 $27.02
$40.21 €35.76
-32.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.73 $15.73
$34.90 €31.04
-54.93%
Cinema Ticket
$13.27 $13.27
$15.73 €14.00
-15.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fort Smith, AR
Berlin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$890 $890
$142 €126
528.72%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.9K $23.9K
$15.8K €14.0K
51.20%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fort Smith, AR
Berlin
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.9 $52.9
$95.4 €84.8
-44.48%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.60 $41.60
$46.32 €41.20
-10.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$93.6 $93.6
$104 €92.4
-9.90%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.1 $77.1
$143 €128
-46.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fort Smith, AR
Berlin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$681 $681
$1,469 €1,306
-53.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$668 $668
$1,114 €991
-40.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,500 $1,500
$2,751 €2,447
-45.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,328 $1,328
$2,107 €1,875
-36.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,547 $1,547
$8,454 €7,520
-81.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,540 $1,540
$5,435 €4,834
-71.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fort Smith, AR
Berlin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,041 $3,041
$3,543 €3,151
-14.18%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.38
3.8
67.89%

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

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

Last update for Berlin: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Fort Smith, AR
$668
Berlin
$1.1K 66.8% $446
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort Smith, AR
$413
Berlin
$449 8.7% $36
Groceries & Markets
Fort Smith, AR
$347
Berlin
$343 1.1% $3.7
Eating Out
Fort Smith, AR
$328
Berlin
$288 12.1% $40
Clothing & Footwear
Fort Smith, AR
$119
Berlin
$175 46.6% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Fort Smith, AR
$54
Berlin
$72 33.8% $18
Getting Around
Fort Smith, AR
$50
Berlin
$110 120% $60

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $681 in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,469 in Berlin. 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 $65.0 in Fort Smith, AR versus $77.0 in Berlin. Groceries tell a different story – $347 in Fort Smith, AR vs $343 in Berlin – so Berlin wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Fort Smith, AR
🇩🇪 Berlin
🕒 Local time
09:56 9:56 AM
16:56 4:56 PM
7 h ahead of Fort Smith, AR
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
89,142
3,769,962 Capital
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

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

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

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

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 Berlin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Berlin cheaper than Fort Smith, AR?
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 $2,967 per month in Fort Smith, AR and $3,826 in Berlin. 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 Fort Smith, AR and in Berlin?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,978 in Fort Smith, AR and $2,551 in Berlin. 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 Fort Smith, AR or in Berlin?
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 Fort Smith, AR or Berlin 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, Fort Smith, AR or Berlin?
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.

Fort Smith, AR vs other spots: cost of living compared

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