City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 1.8% higher than in Palm Bay, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL would need about $101,800 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, 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 Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Providence, RI ($107,228 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.5% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (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
| Palm Bay, FL | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,768 in Providence | $98,263 in Palm Bay |
| 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 (FL) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
63 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Palm Bay, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Providence, RI | Real change, Palm Bay → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $69,905 | +10.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $84,579 | +10.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $101,375 | +10.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $120,548 | +10.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $142,452 | +10.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $86,720 | $85,214 (+36.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $130,690 | $128,420 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $95,020 | $93,369 (+23.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $99,880 | $98,145 (+21.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.