City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 9.1% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $109,100 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 $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,695 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Greenville, SC to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,128 in Providence | $91,635 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,695/yr.
43 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,695/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Greenville, SC to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Providence, RI | Real change, Greenville → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $86,720 | $79,466 (+31.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $130,690 | $119,758 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $95,020 | $87,072 (+13.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $99,880 | $91,525 (+12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.