The cost of living in Little Rock is something we get asked about by out-of-town apartment hunters, often. Will they be spending more living in Little Rock than they do in the state that they are moving from? So we are here to break down the average cost of living in Little Rock.

Little Rock may be one of the more expensive cities to live in Arkansas, but compared to other parts of the country, it is significantly cheaper.

In fact, according to The Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, Little Rock ranks 180th out of 288 cities and has a cost of living index of 59.65. A four-person family will spend on average $2570 and that is not including rent. They came up with this number using their cost of living estimator that you can find here. Single-person monthly costs without rent were averaged out to be $742.

Housing, Utilities, and Transportation

When compared to the national average for housing, Little Rock came in at 11% cheaper than other states. And when it came to utilities, we were 15% higher than the national average. Likely because it is hot and humid here in the summer and cold in the winter and Arkansans don’t mind paying extra for air conditioning and heat. Those heating and air bills average out to about $193.31 per month. As for transportation such as the price for a bus or an Uber, Little Rock comes in at 8% lower than the national average.

The cost to buy a home in Arkansas comes in with a median price of $307,095 while the median rent is $962.00 a month.

The cost of gas has gone up recently for Little Rock, however, it is still significantly cheaper than other parts of the country. We are currently paying an average of $2.40 / gallon of gas, while in California they are paying a dollar more per gallon. Compared to many states, we are either average or below average, as you can see here. 

Another miscellaneous bill that Little Rock pays less on than other states is the phone bill. The price of a typical phone bill is $206/month but this can vary depending on the size of the phone plan, how many people are attached, etc.

Food and Groceries

Little Rock grocery prices have come in at 7% less than the national average with these numbers being what is typically paid for your grocery staples

• Loaf of bread – $3.08
• A gallon of milk – $1.79
• A carton of eggs – $1.67
• A bunch of bananas – $3.11
• A hamburger – $3.92

Healthcare

Not only does Little Rock have incredible healthcare options, but it is also 10% less expensive than the national average as well.

The average price for a doctor’s visit is $99.86 and a dental visit is $85.79.

If you need to get your eyes looked at by an optometrist, you will likely pay an average of $93.57.

The average cost for prescription drugs is $397.78 per year. This varies depending on how many prescriptions you have and what your insurance is like as well.

The majority of Little Rock is pet owners so we feel it is necessary to point out that the average veterinary visit will cost $50.44

These cost analyses were studied by Little Rock Pay Scale

While we may be a little biased on how wonderful living in Little Rock is, the numbers don’t lie. It is significantly cheaper to live here than in other parts of the country!