Is it cheaper to live in Fayetteville or Missoula?

Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Missoula, MT's $1,100, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Fayetteville than in Missoula?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Fayetteville versus $38,000 in Missoula.

Which has lower taxes, Fayetteville or Missoula?

Fayetteville is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax).

Fayetteville vs Missoula Cost of Living 2026

Fayetteville

Arkansas

$990/mo est.

Missoula

Montana

$1,100/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $990 in Fayetteville, AR versus $1,100 in Missoula, MT. Overall, Fayetteville, AR is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Missoula, MT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $59,074 in Fayetteville, AR and $65,329 in Missoula, MT — about 10% higher in Missoula, MT. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Montana has a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no state sales tax.

Fayetteville, AR

Missoula, MT

Rent

Studio

$709

$755

+6% in Missoula, MT

1 Bedroom

$817

$953

+17% in Missoula, MT

2 Bedroom

$999

$1,176

+18% in Missoula, MT

3 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,676

+17% in Missoula, MT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$322,500

$427,400

+33% in Missoula, MT

Income

Median Household Income

$59,074

$65,329

+11% in Missoula, MT

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,610

$47,830

+3% in Missoula, MT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.7 yr

34.3 yr

+5.6 yr in Missoula, MT

Homeownership

41.9%

47.8%

+5.9 pp in Missoula, MT

Bachelor's+ (25+)

49.8%

51.7%

+1.9 pp in Missoula, MT

Avg Commute

18.2 min

16.6 min

+1.6 min in Fayetteville, AR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

429.4

601.9

+40% in Missoula, MT

Property Crime

2,392.2

3,685.2

+54% in Missoula, MT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

57.1°F

45.9°F

+11.2°F in Fayetteville, AR

Annual Precipitation

48.5 in

14.1 in

+34.4 in in Fayetteville, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$4.27/gal

+18% in Missoula, MT

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Rocky Mountain (PADD 4).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

15.1

+7% in Missoula, MT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.86

$10.12

+64% in Fayetteville, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.82

+20% in Missoula, MT

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$2.04

+17% in Missoula, MT

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Fayetteville, AR

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$7.36

+14% in Missoula, MT

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.01

+6% in Missoula, MT

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.70

+14% in Missoula, MT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / MT)

6.5%

None

+6.5 pp in AR

Income Tax (top rate)

3.90%

5.65%

+1.8 pp in MT

Fayetteville vs Missoula — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fayetteville or Missoula?: Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below Missoula, MT's $1,100, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fayetteville than in Missoula?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Fayetteville versus $38,000 in Missoula.
Which has lower taxes, Fayetteville or Missoula?: Fayetteville is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Missoula under Montana's (a top state income tax rate of 5.65% and no 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).