Moving to Arkansas from Arizona

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Arizona to Arkansas? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Arizona to Arkansas, you would find that Arkansas is 7.5% cheaper than Arizona. A $75,000 salary in Arizona would need to be roughly $64,216 in Arkansas to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Little Rock averages 72°F vs 87°F in Phoenix, making it significantly cooler.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Arizona and Arkansas.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $64,216

To maintain the same standard of living in Arkansas

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 7.2% less

Groceries

pay 8.7% less

Transportation

pay 18.1% less

Housing

pay 22.3% less

Childcare

pay 13.8% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.7% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in Arkansas compared to Arizona.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AZ
398
AR
610
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

AZ
1752
AR
2195

Arizona performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

AZ
10.0%
AR
8.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

AZ
33.6%
AR
38.3%

Arizona generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arkansas leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

AZ
$358,900
AR
$175,300
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

AZ
$1,431
AR
$914

Arkansas generally does better on what about housing?, though Arizona leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

AZ
90.5%
AR
84.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

AZ
26 min
AR
22 min

Arizona generally does better on infrastructure, though Arkansas leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

AZ
4.0%
AR
4.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

AZ
$58,628
AR
$47,319

Arizona performs better than Arkansas across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

AZ
76.3 yrs
AR
73.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

AZ
21%
AR
16%

Arizona performs better than Arkansas across all family life metrics.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Phoenix Rain: 8.2 in/yr (208 mm)
87° / 63°F

Avg. annual high / low

Little Rock Rain: 50.0 in/yr (1271 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Phoenix Little Rock
Jan–Mar 73°/49°F (23°/10°C) 56°/38°F (13°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 95°/69°F (35°/20°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 103°/80°F (40°/27°C) 89°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 77°/54°F (25°/12°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Phoenix Little Rock
Jan 69°/46°F (20.3°/7.6°C) 49°/33°F (9.7°/0.4°C)
Feb 72°/49°F (22.1°/9.3°C) 54°/36°F (12.4°/2.4°C)
Mar 78°/53°F (25.7°/11.9°C) 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.8°C)
Apr 86°/60°F (29.9°/15.7°C) 73°/53°F (22.7°/11.6°C)
May 95°/69°F (34.8°/20.6°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.4°C)
Jun 104°/77°F (39.9°/25.1°C) 88°/69°F (31.2°/20.7°C)
Jul 106°/83°F (41.0°/28.1°C) 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C)
Aug 104°/82°F (40.1°/27.8°C) 92°/72°F (33.3°/22.2°C)
Sep 100°/75°F (37.8°/24.1°C) 84°/65°F (29.1°/18.1°C)
Oct 89°/64°F (31.8°/18.0°C) 73°/54°F (23.0°/12.3°C)
Nov 76°/52°F (24.7°/11.1°C) 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.6°C)
Dec 67°/45°F (19.6°/7.1°C) 51°/35°F (10.7°/1.7°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Arkansas than Arizona?

On average Arkansas is about 14% less expensive than Arizona, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Arkansas?

Budget about $16,054 for 3 months in Arkansas (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.

Is Arkansas safe?

Arizona performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Arkansas compared to Arizona?

Arizona generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arkansas leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Arkansas compared to Arizona?

The average high temperature in Little Rock is 72°F, compared to 87°F in Phoenix. Little Rock receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Phoenix gets 8.2 in.

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