Is it cheaper to live in Little Rock or Philadelphia?

Little Rock, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,080 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 23% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Little Rock than in Philadelphia?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Little Rock versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.

Which has lower taxes, Little Rock or Philadelphia?

Little Rock 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).

Little Rock vs Philadelphia Cost of Living 2026

Little Rock

Arkansas

$1,080/mo est.

Philadelphia

Pennsylvania

$1,410/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,080 in Little Rock, AR versus $1,410 in Philadelphia, PA. Overall, Little Rock, AR is roughly 23% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Philadelphia, PA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $60,583 in Little Rock, AR and $60,698 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.

Little Rock, AR

Philadelphia, PA

Rent

Studio

$981

$1,126

+15% in Philadelphia, PA

1 Bedroom

$904

$1,189

+32% in Philadelphia, PA

2 Bedroom

$1,064

$1,394

+31% in Philadelphia, PA

3 Bedroom

$1,292

$1,406

+9% in Philadelphia, PA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$221,200

$232,400

+5% in Philadelphia, PA

Income

Median Household Income

$60,583

$60,698

+0% in Philadelphia, PA

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$45,790

$54,310

+19% in Philadelphia, PA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.4 yr

35.1 yr

+1.3 yr in Little Rock, AR

Homeownership

54.2%

52.3%

+1.9 pp in Little Rock, AR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

44.0%

34.6%

+9.4 pp in Little Rock, AR

Avg Commute

18.3 min

32.0 min

+13.7 min in Philadelphia, PA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,673

917.1

+45% in Little Rock, AR

Property Crime

5,251.5

4,615.3

+12% in Little Rock, AR

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

62.7°F

57.1°F

+5.6°F in Little Rock, AR

Annual Precipitation

49.8 in

48.5 in

+1.2 in in Little Rock, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.62/gal

$3.86/gal

+7% 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)

14.4

21.6

+50% in Philadelphia, PA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$25.93

$19.17

+26% in Little Rock, 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 Little Rock, 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

Little Rock vs Philadelphia — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Little Rock or Philadelphia?: Little Rock, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,080 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 23% below Philadelphia, PA's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Little Rock than in Philadelphia?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $36,000 a year in Little Rock versus $48,000 in Philadelphia.
Which has lower taxes, Little Rock or Philadelphia?: Little Rock 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).