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 | Providence | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,214/mo | $2,080/mo | 41.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $293,000 | $783,300 | 62.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $61,365 | $98,657 | 37.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 93.8 | 110.2 | 14.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 90.0 | 135.0 | 33.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 82.7 | 117.2 | 29.4% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 85.8 | 121.0 | 29.1% lower 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 Providence, you'd need $151,378 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Providence, RI is about 33.9% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 42% lower in Providence than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Providence, you'd need about $121,103 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.