City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 1.1% higher than in Colorado Springs, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO would need about $101,100 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO and $1,402 in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $543 a year higher in Colorado Springs, CO than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.3% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Providence, RI ($109,246 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,059 in Providence | $98,953 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$543/yr.
65 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Colorado Springs, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$543/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Providence, RI | Real change, Colorado Springs → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $69,905 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $84,579 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $101,375 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $120,548 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $142,452 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $86,720 | $85,812 (+40.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $130,690 | $129,321 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $95,020 | $94,025 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $99,880 | $98,834 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.