City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 1.8% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $101,800 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,657 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.3% moving from Chicago, IL to Providence, RI ($118,984 → $120,548), while prices change by −1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.1% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,241 in Providence | $101,790 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,657/yr.
74 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Chicago, IL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,657/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Providence, RI | Real change, Chicago → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $69,905 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $84,579 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $101,375 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $120,548 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $142,452 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $86,720 | $88,273 (+12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $130,690 | $133,030 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $95,020 | $96,721 (+17.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $99,880 | $101,668 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.