City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 7.5% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $107,500 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,070 a year in PA and $3,148 in RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.5% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Providence, RI ($110,047 → $120,548), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,502 in Providence | $93,022 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$78/yr.
47 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$78/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Providence, RI | Real change, Pittsburgh → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $69,905 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $84,579 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $101,375 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $120,548 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $142,452 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $86,720 | $80,668 (+5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $130,690 | $121,570 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $95,020 | $88,389 (+14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $99,880 | $92,910 (+12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.