Cost of Living in Providence, RI
Providence, RI scores 118 on the cost-of-living index — about 18% more expensive than the US average of 100, and #16 of 77 US cities we track.
Compare your salary: Providence vs any US city
Enter where you live now and what you earn — see the equivalent salary needed in Providence to keep the same standard of living.
To live the way $100,000 affords in Providence, RI, you would need about $158,475 in New York City, NY — roughly 58.5% more.
| Category | Providence | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 118 | 187 | +58% |
| Housing | 139 | 287 | +106% |
| Groceries | 108 | 137 | +27% |
| Utilities | 110 | 130 | +18% |
| Transportation | 109 | 120 | +10% |
| Healthcare | 106 | 128 | +21% |
Providence cost-of-living breakdown
| Category | Index | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 118 | +18% |
| Housing | 139 | +39% |
| Groceries | 108 | +8% |
| Utilities | 110 | +10% |
| Transportation | 109 | +9% |
| Healthcare | 106 | +6% |
Note These are approximate comparative estimates on a US-average = 100 scale (the C2ER/ACCRA and BestPlaces convention). Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle — treat the numbers as directional.
Frequently asked questions
Is Providence expensive to live in?
Providence, RI has a cost-of-living index of 118, where the US average is 100. That makes it about 18% more expensive than a typical US city, and ranks it #16 of 77 cities in our index. Housing is the biggest single factor, with a housing index of 139.
What is the cost-of-living index for Providence?
The overall index is 118 (US average = 100). By category: housing 139, groceries 108, utilities 110, transportation 109 and healthcare 106. A value above 100 means costlier than average; below 100 means cheaper.
How much salary do I need to live in Providence?
It depends on where you're moving from. Use the calculator above: enter your current city and salary, and it scales your pay by the ratio of the two cities' indices to show the equivalent salary needed in Providence to keep the same standard of living.
How is the Providence cost-of-living index calculated?
It is a comparative estimate on the same US-average = 100 scale used by the C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index and BestPlaces, spanning housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. These are approximate estimates — actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle.
Which is the cheapest category in Providence?
In Providence, healthcare is the most affordable category relative to the US average (index 106), while housing is the priciest (index 139).