Fort Smith, Arkansas
Living in Fort Smith, Arkansas is about 25% cheaper than the national average, with a cost of living index of 75 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,074 a month, 44% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $3.61 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 40% of the area's $60,362 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$3.61
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,074
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$10.75
Combo meal
Electricity
14.37¢
per kWh · ~$129/mo
Car Insurance
$173/mo
$2,080/yr
Median Household Income
$60,362
40.1% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,080 in Fort Smith. Compare rates:
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $1,074/mo in Fort Smith. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$4.92 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$4.40 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$6.71 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.26 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$5.71 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$7.55 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.40 | $4.92 | +44.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.91 | $4.40 | +12.5% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.64 | $6.71 | +44.6% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $4.26 | +14.5% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.29 | $5.71 | +33.1% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.44 | $7.55 | +38.8% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$10.75
Casual Dining
$14.50
Monthly Spend
$249.6
+3.18% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $4.54
$7.33
+61.5%Wendy's
2022: $5.13
$7.92
+54.4%Chipotle
2022: $5.50
$8.21
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $2.71
$3.77
+39.1%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Fort Smith?
Average 1BR: $881/mo · 2BR: $1,267/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
19k
Median Weekly Pay
$938
$49k/yr
Top Sector
Trade, Transportation & Utilities
Household vs Worker Pay
$60k
household median
Employment by Sector — Fort Smith
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$50k/yr
~$57k/yr
~$42k/yr
~$19k/yr
~$62k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 05033
Highest Paying Sector
Manufacturing
$1,192/wk · $62k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$369/wk · $19k/yr
Fort Smith Cost of Living FAQ
Is Fort Smith, AR expensive to live in?
Fort Smith has a cost of living index of 75, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 25% cheaper than average. It is the most affordable of the 7 Arkansas cities we track.
What is the average rent in Fort Smith, AR?
Typical rent in Fort Smith is $1,074 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 44% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $881 and two bedrooms about $1,267. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Fort Smith?
Rent in Fort Smith rose 3.5% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Fort Smith?
Regular unleaded costs about $3.61 a gallon in Fort Smith as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for Arkansas. That is 9% below the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Fort Smith?
Homes in Arkansas pay an average of 14.4 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Fort Smith is about $129.
How much is car insurance in Fort Smith?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,080 a year in Arkansas, or about $173 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Fort Smith?
Median household income in the Fort Smith area is $60,362 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $24,189 a year, or 40% of that income. Groceries are counted at $5,502 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Fort Smith compare with the rest of Arkansas?
Rent in Fort Smith is 10% below the $1,189 average across the 7 Arkansas cities we track, and its cost of living index of 75 compares with a state average of 81.
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