City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 2.7% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $102,700 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,238 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Baltimore, MD to Providence, RI ($121,785 → $120,548), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.6% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,403 in Providence | $102,667 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Providence, RI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,238/yr.
77 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,238/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Providence, RI | Real change, Baltimore → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $69,905 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $84,579 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $101,375 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $120,548 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $142,452 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $86,720 | $89,033 (+16.5%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $130,690 | $134,175 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $95,020 | $97,554 (+14.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $99,880 | $102,544 (+3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.