Is it cheaper to live in Fayetteville or Omaha?

Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Omaha, NE's $1,140, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Fayetteville versus $39,000 in Omaha.

Which has lower taxes, Fayetteville or Omaha?

Fayetteville is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Omaha under Nebraska's (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax).

Fayetteville vs Omaha Cost of Living 2026

Fayetteville

Arkansas

$990/mo est.

Omaha

Nebraska

$1,140/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $990 in Fayetteville, AR versus $1,140 in Omaha, NE. Overall, Fayetteville, AR is roughly 13% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Omaha, NE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $59,074 in Fayetteville, AR and $72,708 in Omaha, NE — about 19% higher in Omaha, NE. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax.

Fayetteville, AR

Omaha, NE

Rent

Studio

$709

$908

+28% in Omaha, NE

1 Bedroom

$817

$984

+20% in Omaha, NE

2 Bedroom

$999

$1,193

+19% in Omaha, NE

3 Bedroom

$1,430

$1,437

+0% in Omaha, NE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$322,500

$230,100

+29% in Fayetteville, AR

Income

Median Household Income

$59,074

$72,708

+23% in Omaha, NE

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,610

$49,660

+7% in Omaha, NE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

28.7 yr

35.3 yr

+6.6 yr in Omaha, NE

Homeownership

41.9%

57.7%

+15.8 pp in Omaha, NE

Bachelor's+ (25+)

49.8%

40.3%

+9.5 pp in Fayetteville, AR

Avg Commute

18.2 min

19.6 min

+1.4 min in Omaha, NE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

429.4

359

+16% in Fayetteville, AR

Property Crime

2,392.2

3,153.5

+32% in Omaha, NE

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

51.1°F

+6.0°F in Fayetteville, AR

Annual Precipitation

48.5 in

30.6 in

+17.9 in in Fayetteville, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.85/gal

+6% in Omaha, NE

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$1.25

Adult base one-way fare — — vs Metro Transit (Omaha) (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

13.3

+6% in Fayetteville, AR

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.86

$20.10

+28% in Fayetteville, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Omaha, NE

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.66

+5% in Fayetteville, AR

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$3.63

+64% in Omaha, NE

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.77

+5% in Omaha, NE

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.10

+10% in Omaha, NE

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / NE)

6.5%

5.5%

+1.0 pp in AR

Income Tax (top rate)

3.90%

4.55%

+0.6 pp in NE

Fayetteville vs Omaha — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fayetteville or Omaha?: Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 13% below Omaha, NE's $1,140, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fayetteville than in Omaha?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Fayetteville versus $39,000 in Omaha.
Which has lower taxes, Fayetteville or Omaha?: Fayetteville is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Omaha under Nebraska's (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).