City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 3.0% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $103,000 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN and $1,402 in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,128 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.9% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Providence, RI ($116,038 → $120,548), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.0% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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
| Minneapolis, MN | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,091 in Providence | $102,996 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Providence, RI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$2,128/yr.
78 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$2,128/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Providence, RI | Real change, Minneapolis → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $69,905 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $84,579 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $101,375 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $120,548 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $142,452 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $86,720 | $89,318 (+12.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $130,690 | $134,605 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $95,020 | $97,867 (+13.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $99,880 | $102,872 (−0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.