City comparison
Durham, NC vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 4.3% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $104,300 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $333 a year higher in Durham, NC than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Durham, NC to Providence, RI ($111,147 → $120,548), while prices change by +4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
- 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
| Durham, NC | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,306 in Providence | $95,872 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$333/yr.
56 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$333/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Providence, RI | Real change, Durham → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $69,905 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $84,579 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $101,375 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $120,548 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $142,452 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $86,720 | $83,140 (+61.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $130,690 | $125,295 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $95,020 | $91,098 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $99,880 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.