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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
No second income to fall back on. Our model scored 1 cities in Rhode Island on solo-living metrics. Providence leads at index 128 with rent of $2,187/mo (that's pre-tax, of course). Quietly competitive.
#1 Ranked: Providence — cost index 128, rent $2,187/mo, income $66,772
Singles scoring: rent $2,187/mo (solo housing), cost index 128, population 190,792 — livability on one income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
No second income to fall back on. Our model scored 1 cities in Rhode Island on solo-living metrics. Providence leads at index 128 with rent of $2,187/mo (that's pre-tax, of course). Quietly competitive.
Providence is one of the cheaper options here. Rent is $2,187/month, which is lower than most cities in this ranking. The cost index is 128. Income sits at $66,772. It lines up with what you'd expect.
It's worth mentioning — though it's outside our data model — that cities with these economics tend to attract remote workers, which can push prices up over time (your mileage may vary — literally). And in practical terms, below the radar, but not for long.
Contrast this with: Here's the state-level backdrop: Rhode Island averages a 128 cost index, $2,187/mo — we had to double-check this one — rent, and $66,772 income across 1 cities. That's $292 more than the national rent average. Smallest state, New England price tag — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
Bottom line: Providence leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers (we double-checked this one).
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence | 128 | $2,187 | Details |
190,792 residents · Rhode Island
In plain English: a closer look at Providence: the cost index of 128 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 106 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 128 (weakest). And broadly, median rent is $2,187/month — 15% above the national median — while household income sits at $66,772, meaning locals spend about 39% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median. One to watch.
Providence ranks #1 in Rhode Island for this analysis with a cost index of 128 and median income of $66,772.
Providence scores highest for singles due to its strong income potential, median rent of $2,187/mo, and competitive median income of $66,772.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Providence is $2,187/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $292 above the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Providence is $420,051, which is 6.3× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Rhode Island has a 5.99% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 7%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.24%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.