SalaryCompareTool

San Diego, CA vs Fort Smith, AR

Moving from San Diego to Fort Smith? Here's what changes — from your equivalent salary to housing ($946,365 → $205,554 median home) and taxes.

San Diego vs Fort Smith at a glance

Bars scaled to the range across all 200 metros; labels show actual values.

San Diego, CA Fort Smith, AR Cost-of-living index San Diego, CA — Cost-of-living index: 111 111 Fort Smith, AR — Cost-of-living index: 85 85 Median home price San Diego, CA — Median home price: $946k $946k Fort Smith, AR — Median home price: $206k $206k Price per sqft San Diego, CA — Price per sqft: $631 $631 Fort Smith, AR — Price per sqft: $103 $103 Median rent San Diego, CA — Median rent: $2,951 $2,951 Fort Smith, AR — Median rent: $1,021 $1,021 Combined sales tax San Diego, CA — Combined sales tax: 8.8% 8.8% Fort Smith, AR — Combined sales tax: 9.5% 9.5% Property tax rate San Diego, CA — Property tax rate: 0.72% 0.72% Fort Smith, AR — Property tax rate: 0.62% 0.62% Violent crime /100k San Diego, CA — Violent crime /100k: 500 500 Fort Smith, AR — Violent crime /100k: 640 640 Electricity ¢/kWh San Diego, CA — Electricity ¢/kWh: 35.3 35.3 Fort Smith, AR — Electricity ¢/kWh: 14.2 14.2 Avg commute (min) San Diego, CA — Avg commute (min): 26 26 Fort Smith, AR — Avg commute (min): 22 22 Avg summer high °F San Diego, CA — Avg summer high °F: 84° 84° Fort Smith, AR — Avg summer high °F: 93° 93° Avg winter low °F San Diego, CA — Avg winter low °F: 45° 45° Fort Smith, AR — Avg winter low °F: 30° 30°

To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in San Diego, CA, you'd need about $77,037 in Fort Smith, AR (−$22,963).

Livability — San Diego, CA: 44 · Fort Smith, AR: 73 (0–100).

What your home budget buys

A $500,000 home budget gets you about 793 sqft in San Diego vs 4,864 sqft in Fort Smith ($631 vs $103 per sqft).

Annual cost breakdown (at $100,000)

CategorySan Diego, CAFort Smith, ARDifference
Housing $35,412 $12,252 −$23,160
Groceries $5,112 $4,657 −$456
Transportation $5,125 $3,405 −$1,720
Utilities $3,804 $1,524 −$2,280
Insurance $1,500 $2,800 +$1,300
Taxes $21,601 $8,127 −$13,474
Total $72,554 $32,764 −$39,790

Side by side

MetricSan Diego, CAFort Smith, AR
Cost-of-living index110.785.3
Unemployment rate6.34%5.23%
Population growth (5-yr)0.2%-12.6%
Air quality (median AQI)7144
Big Mac price (est.)$6.30$4.85
Median home price$946,365$205,554
Home price ÷ income9.8×3.9×
1-yr home appreciation-1.1%4.6%
Price per square foot$631$103
Median rent$2,951$1,021
Total tax burden (% income)13.5%10.2%
Combined sales tax8.82%9.47%
Capital gains tax13.30%3.90%
Property tax rate0.72%0.62%
Healthcare (annual)$7,200$6,000
Childcare (annual, infant)$19,000$7,500
Vehicle property tax0.65%1.02%
Avg commute (min)2622
Home insurance / yr$1,500$2,800
Auto insurance / yr$2,400$1,900
Flood insurance / yr$750$750
Earthquake insurance / yr$950$350
Electricity ¢/kWh35.314.2
Gas $/gal4.852.95
Violent crime /100k500640
Avg summer high °F8493
Avg winter low °F4530
Permit difficulty (1–5)52
Moving to Fort Smith?
Compare moving company quotes →
Financing a home in Fort Smith?
See today's mortgage rates →

Ad · affiliate links

San Diego details → Fort Smith details → Reverse: Fort Smith vs San Diego →