City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Fort Smith | McAllen | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $798/mo | $955/mo | 16.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $155,600 | $158,700 | 2.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $50,799 | $56,326 | 9.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 100.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Fort Smith, you'd need $119,689 in McAllen to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Fort Smith, AR is about 16.4% cheaper overall than McAllen, TX, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 16% lower in Fort Smith than in McAllen. If you earn $80,000 in Fort Smith, you'd need about $95,751 in McAllen to keep the same standard of living.