Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fort Smith, AR and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Mexico City: $1,608 a month against $1,951 in Fort Smith, AR, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

Fort Smith, AR, United States
Mexico City, Mexico
Fort Smith, AR
🇺🇸 United States
$1,951
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,951 in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,608 in Mexico City.

  • Fort Smith, AR $1,951
  • Mexico City $1,608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,992 in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,549 in Mexico City.

  • Fort Smith, AR $2,992
  • Mexico City $2,549

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,033 in Fort Smith, AR versus $3,490 in Mexico City.

  • Fort Smith, AR $4,033
  • Mexico City $3,490

Living in Fort Smith, AR is roughly 21% more expensive than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fort Smith, AR 43% above, Mexico City 18% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Fort Smith, AR
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$20.20 $20.20
$10.62 MX$199
90.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$64.6 $64.6
$48.35 MX$908
33.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.43 $11.43
$10.35 MX$194
10.43%
Cappuccino
$5.32 $5.32
$3.69 MX$69.3
44.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.39 $2.39
$1.67 MX$31.29
43.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00 $2.00
$1.27 MX$23.76
57.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$5.96 $5.96
$3.19 MX$59.9
86.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.04 $9.04
$5.31 MX$99.6
70.24%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Fort Smith, AR
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.95 $0.95
$1.72 MX$32.38
-44.77%
White Bread (500g)
$3.26 $3.26
$3.04 MX$57.1
7.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.78 $3.78
$1.94 MX$36.44
94.85%
Eggs
$2.89 $2.89
$2.89 MX$54.2
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.55 $7.55
$10.97 MX$206
-31.18%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.76 $10.76
$9.25 MX$174
16.32%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.61 $19.61
$15.13 MX$284
29.61%
Apples (1kg)
$4.77 $4.77
$3.05 MX$57.2
56.39%
Banana (1kg)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.94 MX$36.45
-25.26%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.48 $2.48
$2.03 MX$38.02
22.17%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.11 $2.11
$2.31 MX$43.46
-8.66%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 $1.90
$2.04 MX$38.21
-6.86%
Onion (1kg)
$1.58 $1.58
$1.80 MX$33.79
-12.22%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.75 $1.75
$1.48 MX$27.77
18.24%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.28 $2.28
$1.27 MX$23.80
79.53%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$8.33 $8.33
$5.30 MX$99.6
57.17%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.89 $13.89
$16.10 MX$302
-13.73%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.82 $1.82
$1.98 MX$37.23
-8.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.64 $2.64
$4.25 MX$79.8
-37.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Fort Smith, AR
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.22 $1.22
$0.31 MX$5.73
293.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$35.44 $35.44
$19.73 MX$371
79.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.68 $2.68
$1.84 MX$34.50
45.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.29 $1.29
$0.53 MX$10.02
143.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$29.99 $29.99
$5.30 MX$99.4
465.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.76 $0.76
$1.51 MX$28.36
-49.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K $26.0K
$21.8K MX$408.4K
19.33%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$25.6K $25.6K
$24.0K MX$450.3K
6.66%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort Smith, AR
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$276 $276
$63.0 MX$1,182
337.65%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.5 $69.5
$27.39 MX$514
153.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$69.1 $69.1
$35.67 MX$670
93.64%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Fort Smith, AR
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$27.06 $27.06
$58.9 MX$1,107
-54.09%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$16.22 $16.22
$23.64 MX$444
-31.39%
Cinema Ticket
$13.52 $13.52
$6.40 MX$120
111.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Fort Smith, AR
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$918 $918
$432 MX$8,103
112.60%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.5K $23.5K
$11.4K MX$214.5K
105.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Fort Smith, AR
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.7 $54.7
$68.2 MX$1,281
-19.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.77 $41.77
$53.1 MX$997
-21.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.8 $91.8
$108 MX$2,023
-14.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.6 $77.6
$117 MX$2,202
-33.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Fort Smith, AR
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$683 $683
$1,113 MX$20.9K
-38.65%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$646 $646
$710 MX$13.3K
-9.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,536 $1,536
$2,588 MX$48.6K
-40.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,295 $1,295
$1,406 MX$26.4K
-7.86%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,557 $1,557
$3,631 MX$68.2K
-57.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,561 $1,561
$2,135 MX$40.1K
-26.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Fort Smith, AR
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$3,154 $3,154
$946 MX$17.8K
233.34%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.38
11.35
-43.79%

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 Mexico City: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Fort Smith, AR
$646
Mexico City
$710 10% $65
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Fort Smith, AR
$414
Mexico City
$126 69.6% $288
Groceries & Markets
Fort Smith, AR
$342
Mexico City
$320 6.7% $23
Eating Out
Fort Smith, AR
$325
Mexico City
$199 38.9% $127
Clothing & Footwear
Fort Smith, AR
$120
Mexico City
$156 30.3% $36
Sport & Entertainment
Fort Smith, AR
$54
Mexico City
$72 32.6% $18
Getting Around
Fort Smith, AR
$49
Mexico City
$25 48.5% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $683 in Fort Smith, AR and $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fort Smith, AR pays about 3.3 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $65 in Fort Smith, AR vs $48 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $342 vs $320 per month, with Mexico City cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Fort Smith, AR
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
12:17 12:17 PM
12:17 12:17 PM
Same time as Fort Smith, AR
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
89,142
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18.77 MXN (100 MXN = 5.33 USD). 1 EUR = 20.96 MXN (100 MXN = 4.77 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Fort Smith, AR Mexico City 1,830 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Fort Smith, AR
  • Mexico City

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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Fort Smith, AR or Mexico City?
Mexico City wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Fort Smith, AR. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Mexico City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Fort Smith, AR or in Mexico City?
Average pay in Fort Smith, AR is about 3.3 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Fort Smith, AR compared to Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $683 in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,113 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How much does it cost to live in Fort Smith, AR compared to Mexico City?
All in, you’ll spend $1,951 per month in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,608 in Mexico City – Mexico City is about 18% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How expensive is transport in Fort Smith, AR compared to Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Mexico City runs roughly 44% less than in Fort Smith, AR. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Can you live on $3,000/month in Fort Smith, AR or in Mexico City?
Either city works on $3,000 a month, though Mexico City gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Fort Smith, AR or Mexico City?
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.
Should I move to Fort Smith, AR or to Mexico City?
It comes down to priorities – Mexico City wins on affordability, Fort Smith, AR on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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