City comparison
Portland, ME vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Portland, ME (101.9) and Providence, RI (101.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Portland, ME goes as far as $99,900 in Providence, RI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,506 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Providence, RI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $120,548 in either. A transfer from Portland, ME to Providence, RI changes real buying power by +0.1%, purely from prices.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- 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
| Portland, ME | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,917 in Providence | $100,084 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,506/yr.
69 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,506/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Providence, RI | Real change, Portland → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,905 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,579 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $101,375 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,548 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $142,452 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $86,720 | $86,792 (+13.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $130,690 | $130,799 (+1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $95,020 | $95,099 (+19.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $99,880 | $99,963 (+13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.