City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 1.9% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $101,900 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Olympia, WA to Providence, RI ($119,630 → $120,548), while prices change by −1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (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
| Olympia, WA | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,170 in Providence | $101,864 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
75 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Olympia, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Providence, RI | Real change, Olympia → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $69,905 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $84,579 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $101,375 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $120,548 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $142,452 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $86,720 | $88,336 (−15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $130,690 | $133,126 (+7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $95,020 | $96,791 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $99,880 | $101,742 (−18.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.