City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 5.6% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $105,600 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Nashville, TN to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.2% in real buying power.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (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
| Nashville, TN | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,642 in Providence | $94,660 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
52 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Nashville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Nashville, TN 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 Nashville, TN to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Providence, RI | Real change, Nashville → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $86,720 | $82,089 (+33.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $130,690 | $123,711 (−2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $95,020 | $89,946 (+15.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $99,880 | $94,546 (+12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.