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 Jose | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,214/mo | $2,526/mo | 51.9% lower in A |
| Median home value | $293,000 | $1,149,600 | 74.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $61,365 | $136,010 | 54.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 93.8 | 114.4 | 18.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 90.0 | 141.7 | 36.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 82.7 | 125.8 | 34.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 85.8 | 132.6 | 35.3% 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 $172,521 in San Jose to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Providence, RI is about 42% cheaper overall than San Jose, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 52% lower in Providence than in San Jose. If you earn $80,000 in Providence, you'd need about $138,016 in San Jose to keep the same standard of living.