Moving from Providence to Boston
Your paycheck buys 7.3% less in Boston than in Providence; you'd need about $92,800 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Boston: $92,800
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $92,800 in Boston, MA to match $85,000 in Providence, RI ($7,800 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Rhode Island and Massachusetts state income tax; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Providence vs Boston: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,396 → $2,093/mo
- Median home value
- $471,000 → $681,100
- Median household income
- $82,870 → $117,825
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 101.8 → 108.3
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (82.4 → 93.2 of 100)
Providence vs Boston cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Providence, RI | Boston, MA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 101.8 | 108.3 |
| Median rent | $1,396 | $2,093 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $55,840 | $83,720 |
| Median home value | $471,000 | $681,100 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $3,055 | $4,321 |
| Income needed to buy | $130,909 | $185,178 |
| Median property tax | $4,946 | $6,913 |
| State income tax on $85,000 | $2,571 | $4,030 |
| Metro population | 1,700,901 | 5,025,517 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Providence vs Boston
On an $85,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $48,302 a year in Providence and $57,282 in Boston if you rent: $8,980 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $68,205 and $84,016 ($15,811 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | ProvidenceBefore | BostonAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $85,000, single filer | $19,878 | $20,794 | +$916 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,949 | $2,006 | +$57 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,540 | $1,326 | -$214 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,111 | $2,112 | +$1 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,072 | $5,928 | -$144 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $16,752 | $25,116 | +$8,364 |
| Total if you rent | $48,302 | $57,282 | +$8,980 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $29,931 | $43,282 | +$13,351 |
| Property tax median home | $4,946 | $6,913 | +$1,967 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,778 | $1,655 | -$123 |
| Total if you buy | $68,205 | $84,016 | +$15,811 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $18,486 a year in Providence and $26,343 in Boston (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Providence to Boston
About 6,739 households (9,984 people) moved from the Providence metro area to the Boston metro area in 2022–2023, making Boston the #1 destination for people leaving Providence among the 149 metro areas we cover. 9,092 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $79,115.
Cost to move from Providence to Boston
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 50 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Providence vs Boston
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Providence area among the highest (score 82.4) and the Boston area among the highest (score 93.2), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $181 vs $206 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Boston cheaper than Providence?
Overall prices in the Boston area are 6.4% higher than in Providence (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,093 vs $1,396 a month, and the median home is $681,100 vs $471,000.
What salary do I need in Boston to match $100,000 in Providence?
About $108,900, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Uses Rhode Island and Massachusetts state income tax.
How much does it cost to move from Providence to Boston?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 50 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Providence to Boston?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 6,739 households (9,984 people) moved from the Providence metro area to the Boston metro area, and 9,092 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Providence move
- Providence to New York 1,140 households
- Worcester 962 households
- Norwich 708 households
- Miami 507 households
- Tampa 352 households
- Hartford 341 households
- Orlando 291 households
- Washington, D.C. 215 households