Boston vs Providence
Boston, MA · Providence, RI
Providence is 29% cheaper than Boston overall.
Home Price
Boston: $680,000
Providence: $380,000
Monthly Rent
Boston: $2,750/mo
Providence: $1,725/mo
COL Index
Boston: 162
Providence: 115
Median Income
Boston: $89,400
Providence: $66,200
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Boston has the same purchasing power as $70,988 in Providence — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Providence cost 44% more (-$300,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Providence saves you $1,025/month — $12,300 per year. Median rent: $2,750/mo in Boston vs $1,725/mo in Providence.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Boston owners pay roughly $7,208/year in property taxes vs $5,320/year in Providence. That's a $1,888 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $89,400 in Boston and $66,200 in Providence. Providence residents earn 26% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 32 minutes in Boston vs 25 minutes in Providence. Over a year, that's 3500 extra minutes (58 hours) of commuting in Boston.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Boston to Providence, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Boston | Equivalent in Providence | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $35,494 | -$14,506 |
| $75,000 | $53,241 | -$21,759 |
| $100,000 | $70,988 | -$29,012 |
| $150,000 | $106,481 | -$43,519 |
| $200,000 | $141,975 | -$58,025 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Boston vs Providence: Common Questions
Is Boston or Providence cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Providence is cheaper overall. Boston has a COL index of 162 while Providence scores 115 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Boston and Providence?
The median home price in Boston is $680,000 vs $380,000 in Providence — a difference of $300,000 (44%).
What salary do I need in Providence to match my Boston income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Boston is equivalent to $70,988 in Providence in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Boston has a lower property tax rate (1.06% vs 1.4%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $5,320/year vs $7,208/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.