Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Providence, RI and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Providence, RI: $3,394 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

165

Cost of Living Index in Providence, RI
Learn more

Providence, RI Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Providence, RI

🇺🇸 United States

$3,394

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Providence, RI and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Providence, RI and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,394 in Providence, RI versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Providence, RI $3,394
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,649 in Providence, RI versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Providence, RI $4,649
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,903 in Providence, RI versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Providence, RI $5,903
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Providence, RI costs roughly 10% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Providence, RI 150% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.01 $18.01

$24.52 $24.52

-26.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$96.2 $96.2

$98.2 $98.2

-2.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.64 $13.64

$14.79 $14.79

-7.78%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$6.52 $6.52

-15.64%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$3.23 $3.23

-8.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.17 $3.17

-38.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.03 $5.03

$7.85 $7.85

-35.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.01 $8.01

$8.03 $8.03

-0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.21 $1.21

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$5.14 $5.14

-37.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$6.05 $6.05

-11.57%

Eggs

$4.94 $4.94

$4.88 $4.88

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.41 $11.41

$19.18 $19.18

-40.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.40 $14.40

$18.91 $18.91

-23.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.98 $17.98

$23.31 $23.31

-22.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$5.99 $5.99

-20.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.93 $1.93

-29.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.58 $5.58

$5.25 $5.25

6.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$6.57 $6.57

-28.61%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.62 $3.62

-8.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 $3.59

$3.31 $3.31

8.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$2.78 $2.78

-16.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.51 $2.51

-19.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.46 $13.46

$12.18 $12.18

10.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 $13.30

$14.83 $14.83

-10.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$4.22 $4.22

-51.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.08 $4.08

$5.77 $5.77

-29.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.95 $2.95

-30.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.9 $70.9

$106 $106

-33.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.05 $5.05

$2.65 $2.65

90.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.72 $1.72

-18.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.45 $30.45

$29.72 $29.72

2.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 $1.09

$1.49 $1.49

-26.85%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.5K $27.5K

$35.9K $35.9K

-23.49%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$313 $313

$302 $302

3.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$70.1 $70.1

0.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.6 $83.6

$85.3 $85.3

-1.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 $56.9

$77.8 $77.8

-26.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$60.8 $60.8

$34.58 $34.58

75.88%

Cinema Ticket

$14.60 $14.60

$17.84 $17.84

-18.16%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,477 $1,477

$2,973 $2,973

-50.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K $16.8K

$31.3K $31.3K

-46.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 $53.7

$76.6 $76.6

-29.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.95 $38.95

$54.1 $54.1

-27.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 $80.2

$128 $128

-37.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$164 $164

-38.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,440 $2,440

$2,445 $2,445

-0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,897 $1,897

$1,947 $1,947

-2.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,174 $3,174

$4,744 $4,744

-33.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,602 $2,602

$3,469 $3,469

-24.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,746 $3,746

$7,367 $7,367

-49.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,316 $3,316

$5,127 $5,127

-35.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,773 $3,773

$6,506 $6,506

-42.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.89

-3.63%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Providence, RI: October 18, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Providence, RI

$1.9K 55.9%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 2.6% $50

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Providence, RI

$467 13.8%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 2.2% $10

Groceries & Markets

Providence, RI

$417 12.3%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 30.7% $128

Eating Out

Providence, RI

$312 9.2%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 28.1% $88

Clothing & Footwear

Providence, RI

$123 3.6%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 54.7% $67

Getting Around

Providence, RI

$91 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 41.6% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Providence, RI

$86 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 31.8% $27

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,440 in Providence, RI and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 72% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $96.0 in Providence, RI vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $417 vs $546 per month, with Providence, RI cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Providence, RI

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

06:51 6:51 AM

03:51 3:51 AM

3 h behind Providence, RI

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

179,472

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Providence, RI Seattle, WA 4,000 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Providence, RI
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Providence, RI vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Providence, RI wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Providence, RI the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Seattle, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,440 in Providence, RI versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,477 in Providence, RI versus $2,973 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Providence, RI is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Providence, RI delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,394 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Providence, RI hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Providence, RI gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.