City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 1.7% higher than in Atlanta, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlanta, GA would need about $101,700 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,419 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Atlanta, GA to Providence, RI ($112,556 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.3% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (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
| Atlanta, GA | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,714 in Providence | $98,315 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,419/yr.
63 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Atlanta, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,419/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Providence, RI | Real change, Atlanta → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $69,905 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $84,579 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $101,375 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $120,548 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $142,452 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $86,720 | $85,259 (+11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $130,690 | $128,488 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $95,020 | $93,419 (+8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $99,880 | $98,197 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.