Last update: Oct 2026

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

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.

94

Cost of Living Index in Fort Smith, AR
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Fort Smith, AR Living Index
147

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

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Fort Smith, AR

🇺🇸 United States

$1,951

/mo nomad

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

$3,037

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fort Smith, AR is about 36% cheaper than Chicago, IL, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.20 $20.20

$20.71 $20.71

-2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.6 $64.6

$89.2 $89.2

-27.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.43 $11.43

$13.19 $13.19

-13.34%

Cappuccino

$5.32 $5.32

$5.66 $5.66

-6.01%

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

$2.39 $2.39

$2.64 $2.64

-9.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$2.28 $2.28

-12.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$6.87 $6.87

-13.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.04 $9.04

$8.84 $8.84

2.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.25 $1.25

-24.00%

White Bread (500g)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.72 $3.72

-12.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$5.39 $5.39

-29.87%

Eggs

$2.89 $2.89

$4.74 $4.74

-39.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.55 $7.55

$13.84 $13.84

-45.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.76 $10.76

$14.40 $14.40

-25.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.61 $19.61

$18.38 $18.38

6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.22 $5.22

-8.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.98 $1.98

-26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$4.06 $4.06

-38.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.11 $2.11

$4.97 $4.97

-57.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.67 $2.67

-28.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.66 $2.66

-40.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.24 $2.24

-21.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$3.13 $3.13

-27.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.33 $8.33

$13.82 $13.82

-39.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.89 $13.89

$14.88 $14.88

-6.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 $1.82

$2.54 $2.54

-28.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.51 $3.51

-24.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.22 $1.22

$2.43 $2.43

-49.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.44 $35.44

$73.5 $73.5

-51.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.18 $3.18

-15.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.39 $1.39

-7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.99 $29.99

$25.03 $25.03

19.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 $0.76

$1.20 $1.20

-36.67%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$35.0K $35.0K

-25.91%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-4.09%

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

$276 $276

$194 $194

41.77%

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

$69.5 $69.5

0.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.1 $69.1

$61.6 $61.6

12.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.06 $27.06

$47.90 $47.90

-43.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.22 $16.22

$27.34 $27.34

-40.67%

Cinema Ticket

$13.52 $13.52

$17.81 $17.81

-24.09%

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

$918 $918

$1,794 $1,794

-48.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.5K $23.5K

$31.9K $31.9K

-26.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 $54.7

$67.0 $67.0

-18.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.77 $41.77

$52.1 $52.1

-19.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$102 $102

-9.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 $77.6

$144 $144

-46.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$683 $683

$2,526 $2,526

-72.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 $646

$1,578 $1,578

-59.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 $1,536

$4,738 $4,738

-67.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 $1,295

$2,693 $2,693

-51.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,557 $1,557

$4,190 $4,190

-62.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,561 $1,561

$2,768 $2,768

-43.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,154 $3,154

$4,931 $4,931

-36.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.38

6.81

-6.31%

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 Chicago, IL: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fort Smith, AR

$646 33.1%

Chicago, IL

$1.6K 52% 144% $932

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fort Smith, AR

$414 21.2%

Chicago, IL

$326 10.7% 21.4% $89

Groceries & Markets

Fort Smith, AR

$342 17.6%

Chicago, IL

$447 14.7% 30.7% $105

Eating Out

Fort Smith, AR

$325 16.7%

Chicago, IL

$345 11.4% 6.1% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Fort Smith, AR

$120 6.1%

Chicago, IL

$164 5.4% 37.1% $44

Sport & Entertainment

Fort Smith, AR

$54 2.8%

Chicago, IL

$84 2.8% 54.4% $29

Getting Around

Fort Smith, AR

$49 2.5%

Chicago, IL

$93 3.1% 88.9% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $683 in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,526 in Chicago, IL. 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 $65 in Fort Smith, AR versus $89 in Chicago, IL. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $342 vs $447 – making Fort Smith, AR the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fort Smith, AR

🇺🇸 Chicago, IL

🕒 Local time

22:36 10:36 PM

Same time as Fort Smith, AR

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

89,142

2,746,388

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

Fort Smith, AR
Chicago, IL

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 Chicago, IL: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,926 per month in Fort Smith, AR and $4,555 in Chicago, IL. 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 $65 in Fort Smith, AR and $89 in Chicago, IL. 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.