City comparison
Port St. Lucie, 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 1.5% higher than in Port St. Lucie, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Port St. Lucie, FL would need about $101,500 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL and $1,402 in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,148 a year higher in Providence, RI than in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.3% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Providence, RI ($113,356 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.7% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: 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
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,541 in Providence | $98,482 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/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 | $46,490 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,148/yr.
64 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Port St. Lucie, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,148/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, 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 Port St. Lucie, FL to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Providence, RI | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $69,905 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $84,579 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $101,375 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $120,548 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $142,452 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $86,720 | $85,404 (+59.3%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $130,690 | $128,706 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $95,020 | $93,578 (+17.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $99,880 | $98,364 (+19.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.