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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Rhode Island — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Providence (index 114, rent $2,187/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 1 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
#1 Ranked: Providence — cost index 114, rent $2,187/mo, income $66,772
0 of 1 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
Nobody expects rock-bottom prices in Rhode Island — but that doesn't mean all cities are equally expensive. Providence (index 114, rent $2,187/mo) carves out real savings within a high-cost market. We analyzed 1 cities to find where your money goes furthest in 2026.
Here's Providence by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 114. Rent: $2,187/month. Income: $66,772/year. Home price: $420,051. Population: 190,792. The strongest category is Utilities at 105; the most expensive is Housing at 136. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $3,504 more per year vs. the national median. The data here speaks for itself.
Pair that with the housing data, and the pattern sharpens. Rhode Island — smallest state, New England price tag. The 1 cities we track here average a cost index of 114 and median income of $66,772. It lands right near the national baseline, which makes the differences between individual cities all the more important. The typical rent runs $2,187/month, which is $292 more than the national median.
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.
| Rank | City | Median Rent | Rent % of Gross | Cost Index | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence | $2,187 | 52% | 114 | Details |
190,792 residents · Rhode Island
Here's Providence by the numbers — and there's a lot to like. Cost index: 114. Rent: $2,187/month. Income: $66,772/year. Home price: $420,051. Population: 190,792. The strongest category is Utilities at 105; the most expensive is Housing at 136. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are costing renters $3,504 more per year vs. the national median. That's a red flag worth investigating further.
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Providence | 5.99% | 7% | 1.24% | $37,127 |
Providence ranks #1 in Rhode Island for this analysis with a cost index of 114 and median income of $66,772.
Yes. On a $50K salary in Providence, rent would consume about 52% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
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.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5.99% state income tax, estimated take-home on $50K in Providence is approximately $37,127/year ($3,094/month). After median rent of $2,187/month, you'd have roughly $10,883/year for all other expenses.
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.