City comparison
Boston, MA vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 6.4% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $106,400 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,632 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Providence, RI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $120,548 in either. A transfer from Boston, MA to Providence, RI changes real buying power by +6.4%, purely from prices.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,003 in Providence | $106,380 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Providence, RI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,632/yr.
89 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,632/yr.
28 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Providence, RI | Real change, Boston → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,905 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,579 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $101,375 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,548 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $142,452 | +6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $86,720 | $92,253 (−5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $130,690 | $139,028 (−16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $95,020 | $101,082 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $99,880 | $106,252 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.