City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Philadelphia | Providence | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,250/mo | $1,214/mo | 3.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $215,500 | $293,000 | 26.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $57,537 | $61,365 | 6.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.9 | 93.8 | 5.4% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 91.5 | 90.0 | 1.6% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 88.3 | 82.7 | 6.7% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 98.8 | 85.8 | 15.2% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need $95,072 in Providence to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Providence, RI is about 4.9% cheaper overall than Philadelphia, PA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 3% lower in Providence than in Philadelphia. If you earn $80,000 in Philadelphia, you'd need about $76,057 in Providence to keep the same standard of living.