City comparison
New York, NY vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 10.6% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $110,600 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,712 a year higher in New York, NY than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from New York, NY to Providence, RI ($125,431 → $120,548), while prices change by −9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (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
| New York, NY | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,414 in Providence | $110,602 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Providence, RI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,712/yr.
100 Strong offer
Providence, RI → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,712/yr.
12 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Providence, RI | Real change, New York → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $69,905 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $84,579 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $101,375 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $120,548 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $142,452 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Providence, RI | Providence pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $86,720 | $95,914 (−1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $130,690 | $144,546 (−13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $95,020 | $105,094 (−0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $99,880 | $110,469 (−7.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.