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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.
190,792 residents · Rhode Island
Dive into Providence's numbers: cost index 114 — worth pausing on — (2 points above national average), rent $2,187/month, income $66,772, and a home price of $420,051. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Utilities is the cheapest category at 105, while Housing runs 136. With 190,792 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
#1 Ranked: Providence — cost index 114, rent $2,187/mo, income $66,772
0 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Providence | 114 | $2,187 | Details |
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.
Providence earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 114 cost index sits 2 points above the national baseline, and the $66,772 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $420,051 — $47,319 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Utilities leads the way at 105, while Housing trails at 136.
Worth noting: 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.
Providence ranks #1 in Rhode Island for this analysis with a cost index of 114 and 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.