Moving to Arkansas from Missouri

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Missouri to Arkansas — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Missouri to Arkansas, you would find that Arkansas is 1.4% cheaper than Missouri. A $75,000 salary in Missouri would need to be roughly $73,957 in Arkansas to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Missouri to Arkansas.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $73,957

To maintain the same standard of living in Arkansas

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 7.1% more

Groceries

pay 9.6% less

Transportation

pay 19.7% less

Housing

pay 4.7% more

Childcare

pay 2.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 6.9% more

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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Missouri to Arkansas.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
453
AR
610
Property crime rateFBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MO
2070
AR
2195

Missouri performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rateUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MO
8.9%
AR
8.6%
Adult obesity rateCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MO
37.5%
AR
38.3%

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

What about housing?

Median home valueUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MO
$215,600
AR
$175,300
Median rentUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MO
$996
AR
$914

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

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet accessUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MO
88.3%
AR
84.9%
Average commuteUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MO
24 min
AR
22 min

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

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rateBureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MO
3.3%
AR
4.2%
GDP per capitaBureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MO
$56,344
AR
$47,319

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

Is it good for families?

Life expectancyOECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MO
75.1 yrs
AR
73.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higherUS Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MO
22%
AR
16%

Missouri 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.

ColumbiaRain: 46.3 in/yr (1175 mm)
66°/46°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

MonthsColumbiaLittle Rock
Jan–Mar47°/28°F (8°/-2°C)56°/38°F (13°/3°C)
Apr–Jun76°/55°F (24°/13°C)80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep86°/65°F (30°/18°C)89°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec55°/36°F (13°/2°C)62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
MonthColumbiaLittle Rock
Jan40°/22°F (4.3°/-5.3°C)49°/33°F (9.7°/0.4°C)
Feb45°/26°F (7.2°/-3.3°C)54°/36°F (12.4°/2.4°C)
Mar56°/35°F (13.3°/1.7°C)64°/44°F (17.6°/6.8°C)
Apr67°/46°F (19.3°/7.6°C)73°/53°F (22.7°/11.6°C)
May75°/55°F (24.0°/12.9°C)80°/62°F (26.8°/16.4°C)
Jun85°/65°F (29.2°/18.1°C)88°/69°F (31.2°/20.7°C)
Jul90°/69°F (32.0°/20.4°C)92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C)
Aug88°/67°F (31.3°/19.6°C)92°/72°F (33.3°/22.2°C)
Sep80°/58°F (26.6°/14.5°C)84°/65°F (29.1°/18.1°C)
Oct68°/47°F (20.0°/8.1°C)73°/54°F (23.0°/12.3°C)
Nov55°/37°F (12.7°/2.6°C)62°/44°F (16.5°/6.6°C)
Dec42°/25°F (5.6°/-3.8°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 Missouri?

Costs in Arkansas and Missouri are broadly similar overall, though categories like rent and dining differ between cities.

How much money do I need to move to Arkansas?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $18,489 in Arkansas on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Arkansas safe?

Missouri performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Arkansas compared to Missouri?

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

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

The average high temperature in Little Rock is 72°F, compared to 66°F in Columbia. Little Rock receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Columbia gets 46.3 in.

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