Living Cost Compare
Baton Rouge

Louisiana

$1,000/mo est.

vs
Fayetteville

Arkansas

$990/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,000 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $990 in Fayetteville, AR. Overall, Fayetteville, AR is roughly 1% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Baton Rouge, LA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $49,944 in Baton Rouge, LA and $59,074 in Fayetteville, AR — about 15% higher in Fayetteville, AR. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Baton Rouge, LA
Fayetteville, AR

Rent

Studio
$881
$709
+20% in Baton Rouge, LA
1 Bedroom
$854
$817
+4% in Baton Rouge, LA
2 Bedroom
$1,075
$999
+7% in Baton Rouge, LA
3 Bedroom
$1,241
$1,430
+15% in Fayetteville, AR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$224,500
$322,500
+44% in Fayetteville, AR

Income

Median Household Income
$49,944
$59,074
+18% in Fayetteville, AR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,710
$46,610
+4% in Baton Rouge, LA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
31.8 yr
28.7 yr
+3.1 yr in Baton Rouge, LA
Homeownership
46.9%
41.9%
+5.0 pp in Baton Rouge, LA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
35.8%
49.8%
+14.0 pp in Fayetteville, AR
Avg Commute
21.1 min
18.2 min
+2.9 min in Baton Rouge, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
305
429.4
+41% in Fayetteville, AR
Property Crime
1,756.3
2,392.2
+36% in Fayetteville, AR

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
68.5°F
57.1°F
+11.4°F in Baton Rouge, LA
Annual Precipitation
60.6 in
48.5 in
+12.1 in in Baton Rouge, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.62/gal
about equal

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.5
14.1
+5% in Fayetteville, AR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.62
$27.86
+68% in Fayetteville, AR

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (LA / AR)
5%
6.5%
+1.5 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.00%
3.90%
+0.9 pp in AR

Baton Rouge vs Fayetteville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Baton Rouge or Fayetteville?
Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 1% below Baton Rouge, LA's $1,000, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Baton Rouge than in Fayetteville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Baton Rouge versus $33,000 in Fayetteville.
Which has lower taxes, Baton Rouge or Fayetteville?
Baton Rouge is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); Fayetteville under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).