Salary needed
A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would need to be about $25,600 in Sebastian County, AR, or $24,400 less, to match the modeled cost ratio.
Suffolk County, MA vs Sebastian County, AR: Cost of Living Difference
Is it cheaper?
Sebastian County, AR is cheaper than Suffolk County, MA.
Moving to Sebastian County, AR is estimated to save $39,898 per year.
Cheaper County
Sebastian County, ARSave about $39,898 per year.Salary needed
$50,000 in Suffolk County, MA is about $25,600 in Sebastian County, AR.
Biggest drivers
Healthcare increases by $737 per year. Housing saves $19,512 per year.
Housing: $19,512 lower in Sebastian County, AR
Taxes: $12,547 lower in Sebastian County, AR
Childcare: about the same in both counties
Healthcare: $737 higher in Sebastian County, AR
Food: $1,269 lower in Sebastian County, AR
Transport: $855 lower in Sebastian County, AR
Suffolk County, MA→Sebastian County, AR
Equivalent salary in Sebastian County, AR
$25,600
-48.8% lower
Current salary: $50,000
Household: 1 adult · 0 children
Median Income in Suffolk County, MA: $110,193
Median Income in Sebastian County, AR: $71,502
Living Index in Suffolk County, MA 74.20%
Living Index in Sebastian County, AR 58.55%
This estimate matches your purchasing power (equivalent salary) when moving from Suffolk County, MA to Sebastian County, AR.
* Living index is estimated as (estimated total cost / area median income) * 100. A living index above 100% means modeled costs exceed median income.
Cost of Living Breakdown by Category
Summary
Moving from Suffolk County, MA to Sebastian County, AR is estimated to save $39,898 per year. A $50,000 salary in Suffolk County, MA would have similar purchasing power to about $25,600 in Sebastian County, AR. The largest savings come from housing and taxes.
This is a -48.8% decrease in modeled annual costs. Housing is $19,512 per year lower (-69.87%); Taxes is $12,547 per year lower (-61.65%).
Below we break down the annual categories behind the difference using Economic Policy Institute 2026 Family Budget data.
Why this comparison matters
These notes use the actual annual cost differences between Suffolk County, MA and Sebastian County, AR, so the page highlights the budget tradeoffs behind the total.
Affordability vs median income
Modeled annual costs equal about 74.2% of median family income in Suffolk County, MA and 58.6% in Sebastian County, AR. This matters because a cheaper county can still feel tight if typical local incomes are also lower.
Housing
Housing is $19,512 per year lower in Sebastian County, AR than in Suffolk County, MA. Housing usually behaves like a fixed monthly commitment, so this matters most for renters or buyers checking whether Sebastian County, AR changes their baseline budget.
Food
Food is $1,269 per year lower in Sebastian County, AR than in Suffolk County, MA. Food costs affect weekly cash flow, so even a smaller annual gap in Sebastian County, AR can show up quickly for households that cook most meals at home.
Transportation
Transportation is $855 per year lower in Sebastian County, AR than in Suffolk County, MA. Transportation matters for commuters because driving distance, vehicle costs, and transit access can change how much of a salary is left after getting around Sebastian County, AR.
Healthcare
Healthcare is $737 per year higher in Sebastian County, AR than in Suffolk County, MA. Healthcare differences are useful for planning premiums and out-of-pocket exposure, especially if Sebastian County, AR changes provider networks or plan options.
Other necessities
Other necessities is $6,452 per year lower in Sebastian County, AR than in Suffolk County, MA. Other necessities cover everyday basics, so changes in Sebastian County, AR help explain the non-housing costs that can quietly add up month after month.
Childcare
Childcare is about the same in Suffolk County, MA and Sebastian County, AR, so this category is not a major driver of the modeled gap. Childcare is most important for households with children; in Sebastian County, AR, this line can swing the result even when housing or taxes look manageable.
Taxes
Taxes is $12,547 per year lower in Sebastian County, AR than in Suffolk County, MA. Taxes affect take-home pay, so the gap in Sebastian County, AR matters even if the headline salary looks similar before deductions.
What changed the most?
The following cards show the annual category differences that most affect the move to Sebastian County, AR.
Biggest Cost
Largest annual cost increase when moving to Sebastian County, AR
Annual Increase:
$737 per year
HEALTHCARE has the largest annual increase when moving to Sebastian County, AR.
Biggest Savings
Largest annual savings when moving to Sebastian County, AR
Annual Savings:
$19,512 per year
HOUSING has the largest annual savings when moving to Sebastian County, AR.
Breakdown of price percentages per category.
Numbers are average costs per section.
| Category | Difference | |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | -70% lower | |
| Food | -25% lower | |
| Transport | -7% lower | |
| Healthcare | 15% higher | |
| Other Costs | -63% lower | |
| Childcare | 0% higher | |
| Taxes | -62% lower |
In Sebastian County, AR, modeled annual costs are $41,867 compared with $81,765 in Suffolk County, MA.
Overall, annual costs are lower in Sebastian County, AR. The category breakdown above shows where the move creates the most room in the budget.
In this case Sebastian County, AR and Suffolk County, MA are both metropolitan locations.
Use our map to visually compare multiple counties at once.
