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.
Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use Rhode Island and Massachusetts, their principal states. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.
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
- FEMA county-score mean
- Very high county-score mean (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) | $3,128 | $4,427 |
| Income needed to buy | $134,066 | $189,743 |
| 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). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $85,000, rounded from Providence's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state. A metro can span several states; residence in its other state can change the tax result.
Your yearly budget: Providence vs Boston
This fixed budget example uses $85,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.
On an $85,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $46,221 a year in Providence and $55,180 in Boston if you rent: $8,959 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $68,995 and $85,365 ($16,370 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 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,540 | $1,326 | -$214 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $1,979 | $2,016 | +$37 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,072 | $5,928 | -$144 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $16,752 | $25,116 | +$8,364 |
| Total if you rent | $46,221 | $55,180 | +$8,959 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $30,815 | $44,560 | +$13,745 |
| Property tax median home | $4,946 | $6,913 | +$1,967 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,778 | $1,655 | -$123 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,987 | $2,173 | +$186 |
| Total if you buy | $68,995 | $85,365 | +$16,370 |
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. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), 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 October 29, 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 $18,972 a year in Providence and $27,067 in Boston (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) 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
RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 82.4 for the Providence area and 93.2 for the Boston area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $181 vs $206 per resident; individual properties can differ.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (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 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Uses Rhode Island and Massachusetts state income tax. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.
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
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.