Living Cost Compare
Fort Smith

Arkansas

$780/mo est.

vs
Tampa

Florida

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Tampa, FL. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 48% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Tampa, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR and $71,302 in Tampa, FL — about 26% higher in Tampa, FL. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Fort Smith, AR
Tampa, FL

Rent

Studio
$634
$1,242
+96% in Tampa, FL
1 Bedroom
$603
$1,324
+120% in Tampa, FL
2 Bedroom
$863
$1,673
+94% in Tampa, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,087
$1,729
+59% in Tampa, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$168,100
$375,300
+123% in Tampa, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$52,692
$71,302
+35% in Tampa, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,560
$48,940
+24% in Tampa, FL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.6 yr
35.6 yr
+1.0 yr in Fort Smith, AR
Homeownership
53.0%
50.2%
+2.8 pp in Fort Smith, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
25.3%
44.6%
+19.3 pp in Tampa, FL
Avg Commute
17.3 min
24.7 min
+7.4 min in Tampa, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
844.7
443.2
+48% in Fort Smith, AR
Property Crime
3,697.6
1,473.2
+60% 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
73.4°F
+11.7°F in Tampa, FL
Annual Precipitation
45.5 in
46.3 in
+0.8 in in Tampa, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.83/gal
+6% in Tampa, FL

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.00

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.1
15.1
+7% in Tampa, FL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.86
$23.62
+15% in Fort Smith, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / FL)
6.5%
6%
+0.5 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.90%
None
+3.9 pp in AR

Fort Smith vs Tampa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Smith or Tampa?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 48% below Tampa, FL's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Smith than in Tampa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $24,000 a year in Fort Smith versus $53,000 in Tampa.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Smith or Tampa?
Fort Smith is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Tampa under Florida's (no state income tax 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).