City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 1.6% higher than in Las Vegas, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Las Vegas, NV would need about $101,600 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.9% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Providence, RI ($108,719 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (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
| Las Vegas, NV | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,555 in Providence | $98,469 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
64 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Las Vegas, NV
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Providence, RI | Real change, Las Vegas → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $69,905 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $84,579 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $101,375 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $120,548 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $142,452 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $86,720 | $85,392 (+31.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $130,690 | $128,689 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $95,020 | $93,565 (+16.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $99,880 | $98,351 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.