City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 6.6% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $106,600 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,181 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Columbus, OH to Providence, RI ($111,065 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,603 in Providence | $93,806 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,181/yr.
49 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,181/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Providence, RI | Real change, Columbus → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $69,905 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $84,579 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $101,375 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $120,548 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $142,452 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $86,720 | $81,348 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $130,690 | $122,595 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $95,020 | $89,134 (+9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $99,880 | $93,693 (+11.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.