City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Ann Arbor, MI (100.9) and Providence, RI (101.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI goes as far as $100,900 in Providence, RI.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI and $1,402 in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $851 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.7% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Providence, RI ($117,402 → $120,548), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- 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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,885 in Providence | $99,123 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$851/yr.
66 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$851/yr.
72 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Providence, RI | Real change, Ann Arbor → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,905 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $84,579 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $101,375 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $120,548 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $142,452 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,010 | $109,940 | $108,975 (+3.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $130,690 | $129,543 (+2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $95,020 | $94,186 (+17.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $99,880 | $99,004 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.