City comparison
Providence, RI vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 8.4% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $108,400 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 $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 18% in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.7% moving from Providence, RI to Tallahassee, FL ($120,548 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.3% in real buying power.
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Providence, RI | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.8 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,283 in Tallahassee | $108,363 in Providence |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,402/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (RI) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $53,680 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Providence | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.9 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 97.1 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 102.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 101.8 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Providence, RI → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
95 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Providence, RI is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Tallahassee, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Providence, RI to Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Providence, RI | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Providence → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $61,722 | −4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $74,678 | −4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $89,508 | −4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $106,437 | −4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $125,776 | −4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Providence, RI | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Providence dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $86,720 | $55,020 | $59,621 (−31.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $121,800 | $131,986 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,020 | $61,840 | $67,011 (−29.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,880 | $79,430 | $86,072 (−13.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.