City comparison
Miami, FL vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 12.2% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $112,200 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.3% moving from Miami, FL to Providence, RI ($113,356 → $120,548), while prices change by −10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.3% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
- 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
| Miami, FL | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,153 in Providence | $112,166 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 30% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Providence, RI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
100 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Providence, RI | Real change, Miami → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $69,905 | +19.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $84,579 | +19.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $101,375 | +19.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $120,548 | +19.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $142,452 | +19.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $86,720 | $97,271 (+66.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $130,690 | $146,590 (+10.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $95,020 | $106,580 (+31.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $99,880 | $112,032 (+22.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.