City comparison
Portland, OR vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 3.6% higher than in Providence, RI. Someone earning $100,000 in Providence, RI would need about $103,600 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,772 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.1% moving from Portland, OR to Providence, RI ($114,684 → $120,548), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.9% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (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
| Portland, OR | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,540 in Providence | $103,584 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Providence, RI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,772/yr.
80 Strong offer
Providence, RI → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,772/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Providence, RI | Real change, Portland → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $69,905 | +8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $84,579 | +8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $101,375 | +8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $120,548 | +8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $142,452 | +8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $86,720 | $89,828 (+9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $130,690 | $135,375 (−13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $95,020 | $98,426 (+6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $99,880 | $103,460 (−20.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.