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 | Philadelphia | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $798/mo | $1,250/mo | 36.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $155,600 | $215,500 | 27.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $50,799 | $57,537 | 11.7% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 98.9 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 91.5 | 3.7% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 88.3 | 13.9% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 98.8 | 4.1% lower in A |
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 $156,650 in Philadelphia to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Fort Smith, AR is about 36.2% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 36% lower in Fort Smith than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Fort Smith, you'd need about $125,320 in Philadelphia to keep the same standard of living.