Malvern, AR Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Malvern, AR Summary

Cost of living in Malvern research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Malvern is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Arkansas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Malvern is 85, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Malvern is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Malvern ranks as the #24 cheapest in Arkansas out of 69.

  • Malvern ranks as the #511 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Malvern is $144,789.

  • The median income in Malvern is $40,602.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
85
Malvern's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Malvern, AR?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Malvern has an overall cost of living index of 85, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Arkansas, Malvern has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Arkansas's index of 85.

The standard of living in Malvern ranks as #24 most affordable out of the 69 places we measured in Arkansas. By definition, that implies Malvern ranks as the #45 most expensive place in the Natural State.

For more reading on life in Malvern, check out:

24 out of 69
In Arkansas
511 out of 6,489
In America

Malvern Cost Of Living Vs. Arkansas

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Malvern. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Malvern is 104.

  • The Groceries index in Malvern is 98.

  • The Health index in Malvern is 90.

  • The Housing index in Malvern is 52.

  • The Transportation index in Malvern is 91.

  • The Utilities index in Malvern is 94.

Living Expense Malvern Arkansas National Average
Overall 85 85 100
Services 104 99 100
Groceries 98 95 100
Health 90 89 100
Housing 52 65 100
Transportation 91 90 100
Utilities 94 93 100
For more reading on cost of living around Arkansas, check out:
Malvern Cost of Living Vs. AR

Malvern, AR Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arkansas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Malvern is $144,789.

  • The Median Rent in Malvern is $760.

  • The Median Income in Malvern is $40,602.

  • The Home Value To Income in Malvern is 3.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Malvern is 0.22x.

Statistic Malvern Arkansas United States
Median Home Value $144,789 $218,895 $303,400
Median Rent $760 $914 $1,348
Median Income $40,602 $58,773 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.6x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.22x 0.19x 0.21x
$144,789
Median Home Value
$760
Median Rent
$40,602
Median Income

Malvern, AR Costs By Category

Detailed Malvern Services Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Malvern Arkansas
Shampoo $1.07 $1.28
Movie $11.78 $12.13
Bowling $17.78 $18
Haircut $26.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $54.14 $45.56

Detailed Malvern Groceries Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Malvern Arkansas
Ground Beef $5.15 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.52 $4.67
Potatoes $5.23 $4.93
Pizza $10.47 $12.09
Beer $9.83 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Malvern Health Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Malvern Arkansas
Optometrist $113.39 $125.68
Doctor $185.5 $135.78
Dentist $94.42 $113.29

Detailed Malvern Transportation Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Malvern Arkansas
Gasoline $3.1 $3.46
Tire Balancing $66.08 $59.92

Detailed Malvern Utilities Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Malvern Arkansas
All Electricity $166.58 $193.99
Phone $205.55 $192.25

Malvern SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8
Diversity
9
Safety
3
Amenities
8
Education
5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Malvern

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Malvern. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Little Rock, AR has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Malvern.

  • North Little Rock, AR has a cost of living index of 96, 1.1x Malvern.

  • Hot Springs, AR has a cost of living index of 90, 1.1x Malvern.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Malvern
Little Rock, AR 202,739 97 1.1x
North Little Rock, AR 64,504 96 1.1x
Hot Springs, AR 38,023 90 1.1x
Benton, AR 35,954 95 1.1x
Sherwood, AR 32,915 97 1.1x
Bryant, AR 21,125 94 1.1x
Maumelle, AR 19,286 105 1.2x
Arkadelphia, AR 10,316 85 1.0x
East End, AR 6,344 95 1.1x
White Hall, AR 5,520 99 1.2x

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