Living Cost Compare
Fort Smith

Arkansas

$780/mo est.

vs
Honolulu

Hawaii

$2,150/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $780 in Fort Smith, AR versus $2,150 in Honolulu, HI. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 64% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Honolulu, HI, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR and $85,428 in Honolulu, HI — about 38% higher in Honolulu, HI. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Hawaii has a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% state sales tax.

Fort Smith, AR
Honolulu, HI

Rent

Studio
$634
$1,390
+119% in Honolulu, HI
1 Bedroom
$603
$1,570
+160% in Honolulu, HI
2 Bedroom
$863
$1,983
+130% in Honolulu, HI
3 Bedroom
$1,087
$2,433
+124% in Honolulu, HI

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$168,100
$834,100
+396% in Honolulu, HI

Income

Median Household Income
$52,692
$85,428
+62% in Honolulu, HI
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,560
$57,220
+45% in Honolulu, HI

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.6 yr
42.9 yr
+6.3 yr in Honolulu, HI
Homeownership
53.0%
48.6%
+4.4 pp in Fort Smith, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
25.3%
40.8%
+15.5 pp in Honolulu, HI
Avg Commute
17.3 min
22.3 min
+5.0 min in Honolulu, HI

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
844.7
214.1
+75% in Fort Smith, AR
Property Crime
3,697.6
1,919.8
+48% in Fort Smith, AR

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
61.7°F
77.7°F
+16.0°F in Honolulu, HI
Annual Precipitation
45.5 in
17.1 in
+28.4 in in Fort Smith, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$5.21/gal
+44% in Honolulu, HI

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs West Coast (PADD 5).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$3.00

Adult base one-way fare — — vs TheBus (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.1
52.7
+273% in Honolulu, HI
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.86
$66.84
+140% in Honolulu, HI

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Honolulu, HI
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Honolulu, HI
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Fort Smith, AR
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Honolulu, HI
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Honolulu, HI
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Honolulu, HI

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / HI)
6.5%
4%
+2.5 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.90%
11.00%
+7.1 pp in HI

Fort Smith vs Honolulu — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Smith or Honolulu?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 64% below Honolulu, HI's $2,150, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Smith than in Honolulu?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $24,000 a year in Fort Smith versus $63,000 in Honolulu.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Smith or Honolulu?
Fort Smith is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Honolulu under Hawaii's (a top state income tax rate of 11.00% and a 4% 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).