City comparison
Charlotte, 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 4.5% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $104,500 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $333 a year higher in Charlotte, NC than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Charlotte, NC to Providence, RI ($108,810 → $120,548), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.0% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,546 in Providence | $95,652 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/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 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$333/yr.
55 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$333/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Providence, RI | Real change, Charlotte → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $69,905 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $84,579 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $101,375 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $120,548 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $142,452 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $86,720 | $82,949 (+41.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $130,690 | $125,008 (−8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $95,020 | $90,889 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $99,880 | $95,537 (+5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.