Is it cheaper to live in Fort Smith or Philadelphia?

Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 45% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,430, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Smith than in Philadelphia?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $24,000 a year in Fort Smith versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.

Which has lower taxes, Fort Smith or Philadelphia?

Fort Smith is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax).

Fort Smith vs Philadelphia Cost of Living 2026

Fort Smith

Arkansas

$780/mo est.

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,430/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 $1,430 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 45% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR and $60,698 in Philadelphia, PA — about 13% higher in Philadelphia, PA. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Pennsylvania has a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% state sales tax.

Fort Smith, AR

Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio

$634

$1,126

+78% in Philadelphia, PA

1 Bedroom

$603

$1,189

+97% in Philadelphia, PA

2 Bedroom

$863

$1,394

+62% in Philadelphia, PA

3 Bedroom

$1,087

$1,406

+29% in Philadelphia, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$168,100

$232,400

+38% in Philadelphia, PA

Income

Median Household Income

$52,692

$60,698

+15% in Philadelphia, PA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$39,560

$54,310

+37% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.6 yr

35.1 yr

+1.5 yr in Fort Smith, AR

Homeownership

53.0%

52.3%

+0.7 pp in Fort Smith, AR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

25.3%

34.6%

+9.3 pp in Philadelphia, PA

Avg Commute

17.3 min

32.0 min

+14.7 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

844.7

917.1

+9% in Philadelphia, PA

Property Crime

3,697.6

4,615.3

+25% in Philadelphia, PA

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

57.1°F

+4.6°F in Fort Smith, AR

Annual Precipitation

45.5 in

48.5 in

+3.0 in in Philadelphia, PA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.94/gal

+9% in Philadelphia, PA

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

—

$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

21.7

+54% in Philadelphia, PA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$27.86

$26.08

+6% in Fort Smith, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Philadelphia, PA

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Philadelphia, PA

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Fort Smith, AR

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Philadelphia, PA

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Philadelphia, PA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Philadelphia, PA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / PA)

6.5%

+0.5 pp in AR

Income Tax (top rate)

3.90%

3.07%

+0.8 pp in AR

Fort Smith vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Smith or Philadelphia?: Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 45% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,430, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Smith than in Philadelphia?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $24,000 a year in Fort Smith versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Smith or Philadelphia?: Fort Smith is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Philadelphia under Pennsylvania's (a top state income tax rate of 3.07% and a 6% 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).