City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 6.5% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $106,500 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $421 a year higher in Albuquerque, NM than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.0% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Providence, RI ($107,592 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,517 in Providence | $93,881 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$421/yr.
50 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$421/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Providence, RI | Real change, Albuquerque → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $69,905 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $84,579 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $101,375 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $120,548 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $142,452 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $86,720 | $81,414 (+7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $130,690 | $122,694 (−0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $95,020 | $89,206 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $99,880 | $93,769 (−2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.