Living Cost Compare
Fort Smith

Arkansas

$780/mo est.

vs
St. Louis

Missouri

$1,060/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 $1,060 in St. Louis, MO. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 26% cheaper to live in day-to-day than St. Louis, MO, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR and $55,279 in St. Louis, MO — about 5% higher in St. Louis, MO. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Missouri has a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% state sales tax.

Fort Smith, AR
St. Louis, MO

Rent

Studio
$634
$864
+36% in St. Louis, MO
1 Bedroom
$603
$866
+44% in St. Louis, MO
2 Bedroom
$863
$1,109
+29% in St. Louis, MO
3 Bedroom
$1,087
$1,135
+4% in St. Louis, MO

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$168,100
$185,100
+10% in St. Louis, MO

Income

Median Household Income
$52,692
$55,279
+5% in St. Louis, MO
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,560
$49,990
+26% in St. Louis, MO

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.6 yr
36.6 yr
about equal
Homeownership
53.0%
45.4%
+7.6 pp in Fort Smith, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
25.3%
40.2%
+14.9 pp in St. Louis, MO
Avg Commute
17.3 min
22.2 min
+4.9 min in St. Louis, MO

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
844.7
1,372.9
+63% in St. Louis, MO
Property Crime
3,697.6
5,794.9
+57% in St. Louis, MO

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
55.7°F
+6.0°F in Fort Smith, AR
Annual Precipitation
45.5 in
40.9 in
+4.5 in in Fort Smith, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.85/gal
+6% in St. Louis, MO

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.1
16.2
+15% in St. Louis, MO
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.86
$28.78
+3% in St. Louis, MO

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in St. Louis, MO
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.66
+5% in Fort Smith, AR
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$3.63
+64% in St. Louis, MO
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.77
+5% in St. Louis, MO
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.10
+10% in St. Louis, MO
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / MO)
6.5%
4.225%
+2.3 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.90%
4.70%
+0.8 pp in MO

Fort Smith vs St. Louis — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Smith or St. Louis?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 26% below St. Louis, MO's $1,060, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Smith than in St. Louis?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $24,000 a year in Fort Smith versus $35,000 in St. Louis.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Smith or St. Louis?
Fort Smith is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); St. Louis under Missouri's (a top state income tax rate of 4.70% and a 4.225% 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).