City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 5.5% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $105,500 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC and $1,402 in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $333 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Asheville, NC to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.4% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (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
| Asheville, NC | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,458 in Providence | $94,825 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$333/yr.
53 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$333/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Providence, RI | Real change, Asheville → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $86,720 | $82,232 (+64.2%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $130,690 | $123,926 (−7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $95,020 | $90,102 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $99,880 | $94,711 (+16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.