City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 2.3% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $102,300 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA and $1,402 in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,922 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.4% moving from Modesto, CA to Providence, RI ($133,060 → $120,548), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.3% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (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
| Modesto, CA | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,757 in Providence | $102,294 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Providence, RI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,922/yr.
76 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,922/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Providence, RI | Real change, Modesto → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $69,905 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $84,579 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $101,375 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $120,548 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $142,452 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $86,720 | $88,710 (−12.7%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $130,690 | $133,688 (+11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $95,020 | $97,200 (+16.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $99,880 | $102,172 (−22.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.