Little Rock, AR vs Pittsburgh, PA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Pittsburgh, PA has a modeled overall cost index 0.5% higher than Little Rock, AR.

Little Rock, AR · modeled 2BR rent: $1,190 / month
Pittsburgh, PA · modeled 2BR rent: $1,050 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Little Rock, AR and Pittsburgh, PA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Little Rock, AR

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $38.42/month in Pittsburgh, PA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $149,539 in Pittsburgh, PA

Regional cost estimates: Little Rock, AR uses Memphis, TN. Pittsburgh, PA uses Pittsburgh, PA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 0.5%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$38.42

Savings

Annual Impact

$461

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Little Rock, AR

Population:204K

Cost Index:

88.6

100 = national average

Typical Home:$261K

Pittsburgh, PA

Population:303K

Cost Index:

89.0

100 = national average

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Little Rock, AR

The Natural State

204K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Arkansas, this city has a population of 204K residents.

Pittsburgh, PA

The Keystone State

303K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Pennsylvania, this city has a population of 303K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Little Rock, AR vs Pittsburgh, PA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Little Rock, AR	Pittsburgh, PA	Difference	Change
Other	$1,866/mo	$1,739/mo	↓ $127less	6.8%
All Utilities	$582/mo	$656/mo	↑ $74.30more	12.8%
Transportation	$1,385/mo	$1,316/mo	↓ $69.70less	5.0%
Housing	$2,057/mo	$2,109/mo	↑ $52.93more	2.6%
Groceries	$1,032/mo	$1,071/mo	↑ $39.02more	3.8%
Healthcare	$578/mo	$570/mo	↓ $8.44less	1.5%

Other

↓ 6.8%

Little Rock, AR

$1,866

Pittsburgh, PA

$1,739

Difference

$127

less

All Utilities

↑ 12.8%

Little Rock, AR

$582

Pittsburgh, PA

$656

Difference

$74.30

Transportation

↓ 5.0%

Little Rock, AR

$1,385

Pittsburgh, PA

$1,316

Difference

$69.70

less

Housing

↑ 2.6%

Little Rock, AR

$2,057

Pittsburgh, PA

$2,109

Difference

$52.93

Groceries

↑ 3.8%

Little Rock, AR

$1,032

Pittsburgh, PA

$1,071

Difference

$39.02

Healthcare

↓ 1.5%

Little Rock, AR

$578

Pittsburgh, PA

$570

Difference

$8.44

less

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh Earned Income Tax$4,500/yr (3.0%)

Little Rock, AR has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,020

To$750

↓ $270

1 Bed

From$1,030

To$850

↓ $180

2 Bed

From$1,190

To$1,050

↓ $140

3 Bed

From$1,600

To$1,400

↓ $200

Little Rock, ARZIP-level data

1BR range: $890–$1,280/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Little Rock, AR

$7,462

Monthly in Pittsburgh, PA

$38.42

Difference

Home Values

Little Rock

Pittsburgh

$261K

Median Value

↑ +1.4%

YoY Change

↑ +27.2%

5-Year Change

$109K - $468K

Price Range

Calculate payment - Little Rock

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↑ $4.4K

Per year

Monthly Difference

$368

More take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.9%

Rate difference

Little Rock, AR

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Arkansas State Tax

Effective: 6.0%

$9.0K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.7%

$46.0K

Take-Home Pay

$8,664/month

$104.0K

Pittsburgh, PA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Pennsylvania State Tax

Effective: 3.1%

$4.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 27.7%

$41.6K

Take-Home Pay

$9,032/month

$108.4K

Additional Tax Information

Little Rock, AR Tax Rates

Sales Tax:9.4%

Property Tax:0.6%

Pittsburgh, PA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.5%

Property Tax:1.4%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

🚶 Walkability

Modeled road attributes, not a safety assessment. Methodology and limitations

Little Rock, AR: No data yet

Pittsburgh, PA

38/100

3.1% sidewalk tags · 2.4% cycling tags

Environment

Little Rock

Pittsburgh

55 Moderate

Air Quality

52 Moderate

34.4%

Good Air Days

47.8%

99 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌡🫨

Top Hazards

🌊🌪💨

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

54 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

▲+2.8°F

2050 Outlook

▲+3.0°F

54 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

Before moving from Little Rock, AR to Pittsburgh, PA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Pittsburgh, PA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Little Rock, AR. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Little Rock to Pittsburgh moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Pittsburgh, PA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Little Rock, AR vs Pittsburgh, PA

How do the cost estimates for Little Rock, AR and Pittsburgh, PA compare?

Pittsburgh, PA has a modeled overall cost index 0.5% higher than Little Rock, AR. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Little Rock, AR, the model estimates $149,539 in Pittsburgh, PA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Little Rock, AR and Pittsburgh, PA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $1,190/month in Little Rock, AR and $1,050/month in Pittsburgh, PA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Arkansas and Pennsylvania on TaxTakeHome.com