City comparison
Providence, RI vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 4.0% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $104,000 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,788 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Providence, RI to Richmond, VA ($120,548 → $111,183), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Providence, RI | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.8 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,153 in Richmond | $104,001 in Providence |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,402/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (RI) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $53,680 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Providence | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.9 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 97.1 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 102.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 101.8 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Providence, RI → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,788/yr.
81 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,788/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Providence, RI is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Providence, RI to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Providence, RI | Richmond, VA | Real change, Providence → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,475 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $78,009 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,499 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,183 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,385 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Providence, RI | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Providence dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $86,720 | $61,290 | $63,742 (−26.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $132,120 | $137,406 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,020 | $84,220 | $87,589 (−7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,880 | $93,580 | $97,324 (−2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.